Best Health News - generations

Childhood Obesity

root — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:08:45 +0200

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Along with the increase of obesity in adult, childhood obesity is on the rise. Around 15.5 percent of adolescents in the United States, aged 12 to 19 are obese. flat more alarming, about 15.3 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are obese. These children are developing Type II Diabetes and high blood pressure at an early age. They are placing themselves at increased risk for heart disease and else obesity-related diseases. Their weight also makes them the target of bullies and children who insult and taunt them about their weight. This can ruin their self-esteem and put them at risk for depression. Today’s children make up the digital generation. They’ve been surrounded by computers their entire life and are not as physically active as children of past generations were. Instead of going outside and playing, they tend to hang dead indoors, watching TV and playing computer and video games. Along with lack of physical activity comes the convenience of hurrying food. There are fast food restaurants virtually around every corner, and they have easy access to snack foods full of saturated fats and sugars. In addition, obese parents are much likely to have obese children. The reason for this is two-fold. First, obese parents probably pass down their poor habits to their children. Second, genetics plays a role in obesity. It’s important for parents to be role models to their children and emphasize the importance of physical activity and healthy eating. Parents can create healthy environments for their children by doing regular physical activities, such as biking, swimming, or walking together. They should encourage their children to participate in sports, dance, martial arts, and etcetera. This allows children to develop an appreciation of physical activity and enjoy exercising. When it comes to eating, parents need to implement diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. They can make eating enjoyable and healthy by preparing food together and eating together as a family. Fast-food should be limited and diffident for special occasions. Way too often, we reward ourselves for a job well done with food. Look for other ways to reward your children for doing a great job, much as a special shopping trip or a day with antimonopoly mom or dad. Article by

Technorati Tags: Childhood Obesity # Health # adolescents # adult # bullies # children ages # convenience # depression # diseases # generations # heart disease # high blood pressure # insult # playing computer # ruin # self esteem # target # taunt # type ii diabetes # watching tv # Array #

Childhood Obesity

root — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 20:08:45 +0200

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Beverley Brooke Along with the increase of obesity in adult, childhood obesity is on the rise. Around 15.5 percent of adolescents in the United States, aged 12 to 19 are obese. Even more alarming, about 15.3 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are obese. These children are developing Type II Diabetes and high blood pressure at an early age. They are placing themselves at increased risk for heart disease and other obesity-related diseases. Their weight also makes them the target of bullies and children who insult and taunt them about their weight. This can ruin their self-esteem and put them at risk for depression. Today’s children make up the digital generation. They’ve been enclosed by computers their entire life and are not as physically active as children of onetime generations were. Instead of going outside and playing, they tend to hang out indoors, watching TV and playing computer and video games. Along with lack of physical activity comes the convenience of fast food. There are fast food restaurants virtually around every corner, and they have easy access to snack foods full of saturated fats and sugars. In addition, fat parents are more likely to have obese children. The reason for this is two-fold. First, obese parents probably pass behind their poor habits to their children. Second, genetics plays a role in obesity. It’s consequential for parents to be role models to their children and emphasize the importance of carnal activity and healthy eating. Parents can create healthy environments for their children by doing day-to-day physical activities, such as biking, swimming, or walking together. They should encourage their children to participate in sports, dance, military arts, and etcetera. This allows children to develop an appreciation of physical activity and enjoy exercising. When it comes to eating, parents need to implement diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. They can make eating enjoyable and healthy by preparing food together and eating together as a family. Fast-food should be limited and diffident for special occasions. Way too often, we reward ourselves for a job well done with food. Look for other ways to reward your children for doing a great job, much as a special shopping trip or a day with antimonopoly mom or dad. About The Author Beverley Brooke, Editor of Health & Finesse - released health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletters http://www.healthandfinesse.com. beverley.brooke@healthandfinesse.com

Technorati Tags: Childhood Obesity # Health # adolescents # adult # bullies # children ages # diseases # fast food # generations # heart disease # high blood pressure # insult # onetime # playing computer # ruin # self esteem # target # taunt # type ii diabetes # watching tv # #

The Core: Unleash Your Inner Caveman

root — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:08:45 +0200

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Aaron M. Potts, ISSA CFT An alternative name for this article could have been, 'How to undo Generations worth of Damage Caused by sitting on our Backsides and Letting Machines Teach us Not to Stand up Straight'. That doesn't exactly roll off the tongue though, does it? The point is the same, however. Before we were even able to stand fully erect we could literally fight for our right to live on a daily basis. Now, we are again barely standing up straight due to bad posture and bad habits, but we can hardly walk across town without pulling a muscle or throwing our rearmost out! Why? We are weak - from the internal out! In today's image semiconscious society, we are so attentive with the way we look that we ignore the fact that we are falling unconnected from the inside. For lack of a better term, we are "rotten to the core"! What IS "the core"? Why does everyone keep talking about training 'the core"? What does any of this have to do with cavemen? Basically, the idea here is that there was a time in anthropomorphous evolution when we literally had to fight to survive. Although actual battle was certainly part of life back in the Stone Age, we are also talking about the day to day struggle that was up to my neck in just making it to see another sunset! Walking, running, climbing, throwing, pushing, pulling, balancing, lifting, pressing - the list goes on and on. These activities were all a daily part of life way back when the human body was being "programmed". Compare that to the present day activity level of an normal person in a civilized culture, and what do you get? A MAJOR difference between the way we were built and the way we are actually called upon to perform! If you took your average office worker in 2005 and threw them back in time to a point when fur was "in", they probably wouldn't penultimate for very long. Is it wrong that modern technology has made our lives so easy? Probably not - depending on who you ask. However, is it wrong that we don't keep our bodies as vehement and vital as we old to HAVE to keep them? YES! Just because you CAN sit down all day, and just because you CAN eat 1,000 calories in less than 20 minutes, and just because you CAN pay someone other to mow your lawn doesn't mean that you SHOULD do those things. Allowing our easy lives to make us weak is OUR fault. It's not your boss at work who tells you that you can't exercise when you aren't pulling desk time. It's not your mother or father who is making you eat at fast food restaurants every day. It's not your car that is making you drive it ¼ mile to the store instead of just walking. It's YOUR fault. It's complete YOUR fault. Does that healthy harsh? That's too bad, because it's the truth and you know it. Even people who are paralyzed from the waist down can get plenty of exercise if they train touchy enough. Even people who don't know a barbell squat from a bench press can learn if they really try to. Even "corporate Americans" who work 12-hour days can get many exercise and eat right if they truly make an effort. So what can you do to be more in touch with the "programmed" caveman inside of you? Simple. Get out there and make an effort! Get up off your backside, stop making excuses, and MOVE. Start from the inside, though - with the Core. What is meant by "the core" is the boffo inner teamwork of many systems in your body, all of them originating at center collective - the torso area. We are talking about the muscles of your lower back and spine, the Transverse Abdominis muscle behind your "six-pack", the obliques and other supporting muscles, the circulatory and neurological systems that power these muscles with fuel and instructions, and many much muscles and tissues that complete work together as a unit, collectively being called "the core". Why does any of this matter to you? aft all, it's only what you look like from the external that matters, right. Wrong! Your body's core is like a power plant. It fuels and controls everything that you do. From moving nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to your extremities, to the very network of neurological pathways that control your arms and your legs - complete of this starts at the core. All of your vital organs and systems are located in the core area. Your heart, lungs, spine, stomach, liver, kidneys - the list goes on. The only thing outside of your torso that you couldn't live without is your head. However, your head is directly connected to your spinal column, which is part of the core! Part of having a strong core is that the actual muscles are thicker, stronger, and much much resistant to injury. If you have a weak core, you could give yourself a lifetime back injury just by picking up a box the false way! On the other hand, if your core muscles are strong and vital, you have a lot more "margin for error" when it comes to bending over, picking things up, keeping your balance, etc. What about your posture? Posture is definitely controlled by a strong core. Would you think of having good posture as an important thing? You should! If not, let's take a secret shortcut to weight loss: Stand up straight and suck in your gut. Congratulations, you just lost 10 pounds! Are you starting to see the point? It all starts at the core, so safeguarding the inner-workings of your body is as important as it gets. There are many great exercises to work your core, but listing them all is beyond the scope of this article. The point that you should take home is that employed your core should be an integral part of your life - even if you don't exercise on a regular basis. Even if you don't care about weight loss or carnal appearance, safeguard your LIFE by having a strong core! Here are some resources where you can learn about core exercises: http://exercise.about.com/cs/abs/l/bl_core.htm Remember: Your core is your body's power plant. Keep YOUR body running at maximum power! About The Author Aaron Potts is the owner and creator of Fitness Destinations, a content-filled health and fitness website for consumers as well as professionals in the fitness industry. Get the weekly Fitness Journal: http://www.fitnessdestinations.com/journal.html info@fitnessdestinations.com

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Chosing Organic for Health

root — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 07:08:45 +0200

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Marjorie Geiser, RD We come from a society where increasing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food was once one and the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using handed-down methods passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of increasing crops and building big livestock in order to increase their profits. This led to increased use of pesticides and drugs to enhance yield. In this article, we will look at what is required in order to call a product organic, how choosing organic eating and farming impact the environment and our health, discuss the benefits of eating organic foods, and what research says about the nutritional benefits of organically-grown produce. Calling it "Organic" In 1995, the US National nonsynthetic Standards Board passed the definition of 'organic', which is a labeling term denoting products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. It states, "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, begotten cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on negligible use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony." The primary goal of nonsynthetic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of dependent communities of soil life, plants, animals, and people. The philosophy of organic production of livestock is to provide conditions that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Organic livestock must be acknowledged access to the outdoors, new air, water, sunshine, grass and pasture, and are fed 100% organic feed. They must not be given or fed hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs in their feed. If an animal gets sick and needs antibiotics, they cannot be thoughtful organic. Feeding of animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian diet, is also prohibited. Thus, no animal byproducts of any sort are incorporated in organic feed at any time. Because farmers must keep big records as part of their farming and handling plans in order to be certified organic, one is always able to trace the animal from birth to market of the meat. When meat is labeled as organic, this means that 100% of that product is organic. Although organic crops must be produced without the use of pesticides, it is estimated that between 10-25% of organic fruits and vegetables contain some residues of synthetic pesticides. This is because of the influence of rain, air and polluted water sources. In order to qualify as 'organic', crops essential be grown on soil released of prohibited substances for cardinal years before harvest. Until then, they cannot be called organic. When pests get out of balance and traditional organic methods don't work for pest control, farmers can request permission to use other products that are considered low risk by the National Organic Standards Board. The Environment According to the 15-year study, "Farming Systems Trial", nonsynthetic soils have higher microbial content, making for healthier soils and plants. This study concluded that organically grown foods are upraised in soils that have finer physical structure, provide better drainage, may support higher microbial activity, and in years of drought, organic systems may possibly outperform conventional systems. So, organic increasing may help feed more people in our future! What is the cost of conventional farming, today? The above-mentioned 15 -year study showed that conventional rural uses 50% more energy than organic farming. In one report, it was estimated that single 0.1% of applied pesticides actually reach the targets, leaving most of the pesticide, 99.9%, to impact the environment. Multiple investigations have shown that our water supplies, both in rivers and area tap waters, are showing high levels of pesticides and antibiotics used in farming practices. Water samples taken from the Ohio River as well as area tap water contained trace amounts of penicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin. Toxic chemicals are infectious groundwater on every inhabited continent, endangering the world's most expensive supplies of freshwater, according to a Worldwatch paper, Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution. Calling for a systemic overhaul of manufacturing and progressive agriculture, the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations because this costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies. What About our Health? Eating nonsynthetic food is not a fad. As people become more familiar and aware, they are attractive steps to ensure their health. US sales of organic food totaled 5.4 billion dollars in 1998, but was up to 7.8 billion dollars in the year 2000. The 2004 entire Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker survey found that 27% of Americans are eating much organic foods than they did a year ago. A study conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation reports that the number of people poisoned by drifting pesticides increased by 20% during 2000. A rise in interest and concern for the use of pesticides in food resulted in the passage of the 1996 Food superior Protection Act, directing the US EPA to reassess the usage and impact of pesticides for food use. Particular attention was paid to the impact on children and infants, whose lower body weights and higher consumption of food per body weight present higher exposure to some risks associated with pesticide residues. Publishing an update to its 1999 report on food safety, the Consumers Union in May 2000 reiterated that pesticide residues in foods children eat all day often exceed safe levels. The update found high levels of pesticide residues on winter squash, peaches, apples, grapes, pears, green beans, spinach, strawberries, and cantaloupe. The Consumers Union urged consumers to consider buying organically grown varieties, particularly of these fruits and vegetables. The most common class of pesticide in the US is organophosphates (OP's). These are known as neurotoxins. An article published in 2002 examined the urine concentration of OP residues in 2-5 year olds. Researchers found, on average, that children eating conventionally grown food showed an 8.5 times higher amount of OP residue in their urine than those eating organic food. Studies have also shown harmful effects on fetal growth, as well. Pesticides are not the single threat, however. 70% of complete antibiotics in the US are used to fatten up livestock, today. Farm animals receive 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics per year! Public health authorities now link low-level antibiotic use in livestock to greater numbers of people contracting infections that resist treatment with the similar drugs. The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in June of 2001, opposing the use of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in agriculture and the international Health Organization, in its 2001 report, urged farmers to stop using antibiotics for growth promotion. Studies are finding the similar antibiotic resistant bacteria in the intestines of consumers that develop in commercial meats and poultry. Is it More Nutritious? Until recently, there had been less evidence that organically grown produce was higher in nutrients. It's long been held that better soils would produce a product higher in nutritional quality, but there was never the science to support this belief. Everyone agrees that organic foods taste better. In 2001, nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington published her review of 41 published studies comparing the nutritional values of nonsynthetic and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables and grains. What she saved was that organically grown crops provided 17% more vitamin C, 21% more iron, 29% much magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus than conventionally grown products. She noted that five servings of organic vegetables provided the advisable daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not. Today there are more studies that show the same results that Ms. Worthington concluded. Considering the health benefits of eating organic foods, along with the knowledge of how conventionally mature and raised food is impacting the planet should be sufficient to consider paying greater attention to eating organic, today. Since most people buy their food in local supermarkets, it's bully news that more and much markets are providing natural and organic foods in their stores. Findings from a survey by Supermarket News showed that 61% of consumers now buy their organic foods in supermarkets. much communities and health agencies also are working to set up more farmer's markets for their communities, also, which brings much organic, locally grown foods to the consumer. The next time you go shopping, consider investigating organic choices to see if it's indeed worth the change! About The Author Marjorie Geiser has been teaching health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of MEG Fitness, Marjorie’s goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. In Margie’s major health and nutritional support tool, the 30-Day Fitness Focus Program you will get a jumpstart on learning what you are really eating, what regular exercise you do, and exactly how you tend to sabotage yourself from achieving your goals. To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at www.megfit.com or email her at Margie@megfit.com. megfit@earthlink.net

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