There have been countless times I have been out hoping that the after dinner coffee I ordered will not keep me up until 3 a.m. watching infomercials on the latest beauty products! Now, those worries are just a distant memory thanks to D+Caf Caffeine Test strips. These little strips, which so easily fit in your purse, ensure that you get what you asked for. These strips work in tea, but for exactness must be used before adding any additions, such as milk, sugar, etc.
Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Yes, I’ll Have A Decaf…… But Am I Getting What I Am Asking For?
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009“You’ll Never Know When You’ll Want To Have A Fling….”
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009This is absolutely a brillant idea, a truffle treat, that looks like along the lines of a twix candy, but without the calories & the guilt! Here is what the company has to say………
“You never know when you will need a FLING™, and at under 85 calories per finger, anytime is the right time. Keep things interesting and try a FLING™ Chocolate Finger in all three flavors – Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, and Hazelnut – a ménage of flavors. Variety is the spice of life, so tear it open and sneak in a quickie.”
Sleep Loss & Inactivity Make You Fat
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
The average woman sleeps 2 hours less per night than in 1960, which might contribute to the current obesity epidemic. Among young women, 37 percent sleep less than 7 hours per night and only 25 percent sleep least 8 hours per night. Sleep loss alters hormones that control hunger and increase appetite for calorie-dense foods such as candy, cookies, chips and bread. A study from the National Public Health Institute in Finland found that sleep disturbances and lack of exercise increased the risk of abdominal obesity in men and women.
In men, sleeping more than 9 hours a days was also linked to increased ab fat. Lack of sleep was related independently to excess fat, when factoring out the effects of exercise or sleep-related diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea (airway blockage disrupts sleep). Sleep disturbance causes a vicious cycle: lack of sleep increases body fat, which increases sleep deprivation due to disturbed nighttime breathing, which causes more weight gain. See your doctor if you don’t sleep well and are chronically tired during the day. It could shrink your waistline and save your life. International Journal Obesity, 31: 1713-1721, 2007. Article By: Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD
Green Tea Extract Fights Fat
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Green tea extract (GTE) helps people lose weight. It’s not a magic bullet against obesity but it helps. Scientists speculate that chemicals in the supplement called catechins are the active ingredients that fight fat. One catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is particularly effective in promoting thermogenesis (increased calorie use) and speeding weight loss. British researchers found that green tea extract increased fat use by 17% during 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. In a second experiment involving blood sugar regulation after consuming high sugar drinks, green tea extract lowered blood sugar faster than the placebo with less insulin release. Green tea extract has other health benefits. It reduces cell death and speeds recovery after a heart attack or stroke.
It also contains antioxidants that protect the cells from fre radical damage. Green tea extrat looks like an excellent supplement that promotes metabolic health and speeds weight loss. (American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 87: 778-784, 2008; Journal Medicinal Foods, 9: 451-458, 2006) Article written by: Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, EdD
Think Like An Athlete…..
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Ever wonder how the pros stay gung ho? “They’re trained to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations,” says Kay Porter, PhD., author of The Mental Athlete. When your drive starts to wane, substitute doubts like “I hope I can stay on track” with phrases like “Every day I’m getting closer to the body I have always wanted.” Shape Magazine, May 2009
Imagine A Healthier You…..
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Kicking a cold or bad mood can be as simple as switching your mind-set.
Picture yourself beating a bug that’s going around the office and you just might. “If you visualize yourself fighting of an illness, your brain may signal your body to produce more white blood cells, which increases your immune system’s response,” says Ephraim C. Trakhtenberg, PhD., a researcher in the department of neuroscience at the University of Miami.
Positive thinking can give you an edge in other situations too, like that 10K youre planning on running. “See yourself doing well and the feel-good images in your head will help you relax, feel more confident, and perform better, “ says Trakhtenberg, Mind over matter may not always work – if only we could wish our way out of traffic jams – but the mood boosts you will get are worth the time spent daydreaming. Shape Magazine, March 2009.
Healthy Bones Healthy Living….
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Strong bones help ensure life-long independent living and vitality. Bones provide structure, protect against organs, anchor muscles and store calcium. Exercise is central to strong bones – at least the right kind of exercise. Women who swim or cycle have lower bone density than sedentary women. A University of Missouri-Columbia study showed that 63 percent of male cyclists had lower bone mineral density than normal. The problem is even worse in female cyclists. Weight training – and weight bearing exercise in general – are the best ways to build or maintain bone mass.
Free-weight exercises place more stress on the skeleton than machine exercises, so they are better for building bone. For example, squats and lunges stress bone better than leg presses because they stress all the major bones in the lower skeleton. Don’t neglect the bones in the upper body. Weight-training exercises such as bench presses, rows and lat-pulls stress and build upper body bones. The rate stress is applied to bone is more important than the absolute stress. ‘Bounce’ exercises, such as plyometrics and rope skipping, build bone better than walking. Cycling is excellent for building cardiovascular and muscle fitness, but it can decrease bone density. Dedicated cyclists should also train with weights if they want strong bones. (Metabolism, 57: 226-232, 2008) Article By: Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, EdD
Keeping Your Waistline In Check
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Women whose waist size is 35 inches or more should schedule annual heart-health checkups. Traditional heart-disease risk assessments don’t take waist size into account. But an apple-shaped physique increases your chance of developing metabolic syndrome (whose symptoms include high cholesterol), which doubles your risk for heart disease, says Eric Michos, M.D., of the John Hopkins School of Medicine. Shape Magazine, March 2009
The Fat & Skinny on Fat & Skinny
Monday, September 28th, 2009
What’s the difference in fat-burning between over-weight and fit people? Recent studies have attempted to answer this question, but test results only served to reinforce the age-old adage: Fat makes you fat and lean muscle makes you lean. A joint study by French universities demonstrated that exercised-induced fat loss was higher in trained vs. untrained subjects. At Maastricht University (the Netherlands), researchers showed that obese people had not only a slower fat-burning response on the whole but also a significantly slower response per unit of fatty tissue. And a study conducted at the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) indicated that some obese individuals don’t exhibit fat loss after exercise due to post-exercise “automatic or volitional efforts to regulate their energy balance,” also known as excess snacking. Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine, May / June 2009
Calm Your Weight Down!
Monday, September 28th, 2009
No worries. No weight gain. Researchers from the Netherlands found that anxiety can cause you to overeat when you’re not hungry. In their study, people who felt stressed after taking a difficult test consumed more sweets than people who felt relaxed after taking one. “Eating sugary foods may relieve stress by releasing chemicals in the brain that increase reward feelings,” says study authore Femke Rutters, Ph.D.(c). Mens Health Magazine, May 2009
