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Health Benefits Of Exercise
Starting An Exercise Program
How To Exercise Safely
How Diet Affects Your Health
Keys To A Healthy Diet
Healthy Weight Loss
Common Questions And Answers
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| Rocket Quick Tips For Better Health! |
WALK ON SAND OR SOFT DIRT to boost your energy expenditure by a third. It also exercises more of the muscles in the foot.
EAT BEANS AND OTHER LEGUMES. Beans, lentils, and dried peas are all good sources of soluble fiber, which if consumed regularly, may help lower blood cholesterol levels.
DON'T TRY TO SUPPRESS A SNEEZE. If you hold your breath, and seal your lips, and pinch your nose while sneezing, you create enormous pressure in your nose and throat, which can force imfections into your sinus or ears.
TAKE THESE ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTS DAILY: 200 to 800 IU of vitamin E and 250 to 500 milligrams of vitamin C. That's in addition to eating at least five fruits and vegetables daily.
WALK TO LOSE WEIGHT. A 200-pound person who starts walking a mile and a half a day and keeps on eating the same number of daily calories will lose, on average, 14 pounds in a year
WARM-UP BEFORE STRETCHING. Stretching cold muscles can injure them. Warming-up by jogging in place for 5 to 10 minutes, for instance, prepares you for exercise by gradually increasing your heart rate and blood flow, raising the temperature of muscles, and improving muscle function. It may also decrease the chance of injury.
CHOOSE BRIGHT AND DARK-COLORED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. The color is generally a sign of extra nutrients. For instance, buy red grapes instead of green, romaine rather than iceburg lettuce, red cabbage instead green, and dark orange carrots over pale ones.
DON'T ASSUME THAT LIGHT BEERS ARE "LIGHT" IN ALCOHOL. Most brands contain nearly as much alcohol as regular beer. The "light" in beer refers to calories. The lower calorie content comes from a reduction in carbohydrates, not alcohol.
ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET WHEN CYCLING. Of the nation's 800 annual cycling deaths in the U.S., head injuries account for about 60%. If all cyclists wore helmets, perhaps half of these deaths and injuries could be avoided.
AFTER EXERCISING, REPLACE THE FLUID YOU'VE SWEATED OFF. Weigh yourself before and after your workout; drink one pint for each pound lost.
CHOOSE A ROAST BEEF SANDWHICH instead of a hamburger at fast-food restaurants. Roast beef is usually much leaner.
FOR LOW-FAT COOKIES THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, TRY FIG BARS--they're also high in fiber.
DON'T EXPECT COFFEE TO SOBER YOU UP. Even the strongest brew will not restore your motor reflexes or your sense of judgment.
DO AEROBIC EXERCISE, such as running, brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. These workouts strengthen your heart and circulatory system. Try to do this three times a week for at least 20 minutes.
FOR A JUICE THAT'S HIGH IN IRON, choose prune juice. One cup provides 30% of the RDA for men, 17% of that for women.
BE ACTIVE.As many as 12% of all deaths--250,000--in the U.S. may be attributed to lack of regular physical activity. Only about one in four Americans exercises enough to be considered physically active.
WORK OUT IN THE GARDEN. Use an old-fashioned lawn mower and you'll burn 400 to 500 calories an hour.Spading, lifting, tilling, and raking can improve muscle tone and strength.
TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF IRON YOUR BODY ABSORBS FROM FOODS,consume foods and drinks rich in vitamin C (such as orange juice) with your meals.
IF YOU TAKE MORE THAN 600 MILLIGRAMS OF CALCIUM DAILY, space the pills out during the day to enhance absorption and reduce the risk of constipation.
APPLY SUNSCREEN AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE you go out into the sun. This allows the active ingrediants to penetrate the topmost layer of skin and makes them more effective.
WALK HILLS TO BURN MORE CALORIES. It's not surprising that you burn more calories when you walk uphill than on level pavement. But, in fact, walking downhill also uses significantly more energy than walking on flat terrain.
TO BOOST IMMUNITY, exercise regularly and moderately. Though long and intense exercise may actually depress immunity, moderate exercise may boost the body's ability to fight off colds and other illness.
BEWARE OF CROISSANTS. They may seem light and airy, but they contain 12 times as much fat and 50% more calories than English muffins of the same weight.
TO TEST HOW MUCH FAT IS IN A CRACKER, rub it with a paper napkin. If it leaves a grease mark, there's lots of fat in it. Even if the fat in the cracker comes from highly unsaturated vegetable oil, you don't need extra fat.
TRY HIGH-TECH ATHLETIC SOCKS, made of a variety of new synthetic materials, such as high-bulk orlon and polypropylene. They are better at protecting your feet from friction, absorbing persperation, and providing cushioning.
IF YOU HAVE A COLD OR FEEL ONE COMING ON, IT WON'T HURT TO EXERCISE. It's best to start slowly and work out less intensely than usual, and see how you feel. If you feel worse, you should stop. If you feel okay, work up to your normal routine. However, if you have any signs of a more serious infection (fever, swollen glands, fatigue, or vomiting), discontinue your workouts until you have fully recovered.
ALWAYS ICE AN ACUTE INJURY IMMEDIATELY. Continue icing every 20 minutes during the next 48 hours. Applying heat can increase inflammation if done within the first day or two.
DRINK TEA. It contains enough fluoride to help prevent tooth decay and is also rich in vitamin C.
MAKE SURE YOUR FROZEN YOGURT IS MADE FROM LOW-FAT OR NONFAT MILK. Brands made from whole milk (or those containing added fat) can contain as much fat as ice cream.
SKIP THE BACON AND CHEESE. A bacon cheeseburger averages 250 more calories than a plain burger--plus a good deal more saturated fat and cholesterol.
EAT FISH TO HELP YOUR HEART. Eating fish once or twice a week can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack. The protection value of fish comes from the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids, called omega-3s, found in its oil.
ONCE THE HOT WEATHER STARTS, BUILD UP YOUR TOLERANCE to outdoor exercise slowly. During the first week or two, your body will adjust by enlarging sweat glands and tiny blood vessels near the skin's surface.
BRING COOKING WATER TO A BOIL BEFORE ADDING VEGETABLES. Allowing water to heat up slowly with the vegetables in it destroys more nutrients. Better yet, steam or microwave vegetables just until crisp-tender.
TRY CARROT JUICE. A cup has as much beta carotene and vitamin C as three medium carrots.
TRY CANOLA OIL. In recent years consumption of this oil has more than doubled in the U.S. This relative newcomer has a heart-healthy profile--it's lowest in saturated fat of all oils and second highest in monounsaturated fat, after olive oil.
DON'T WORRY THAT EXERCISE WILL INCREASE YOUR APPETITE. Most people who work out moderately eat about the same as they would if they didn't exercise--or just slightly more. By exercising regularly you're likely to become trimmer and fitter even if your weight stays the same, since you'll be building muscle and burning body fat.
IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP, LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS IN ANY PAIN RELIEVERS YOU'RE TAKING--several brands of aspirin and acetaminophen contain caffeine. Two of these tablets typically contain 64 milligrams of caffeine, as much as in a weak cup of coffee.
DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL BEFORE SWIMMING OR WHILE BOATING. Anywhere from 25 to 50% of adolescents and adults who drown while swimming or die in boating accidents consumed alcohol beforehand.
WHEN USING EYEDROPS, keep your eyes closed for about three minutes after putting in the drops. Otherwise your eyelids will pump out the medication.
REMOVE THE SKIN FROM CHICKEN: this can cut the fat content by three-quarters and the calories by half. Choose the breast instead of the thigh; skinless dark meat has twice as much fat as skinless light meat.
TRY PINK GRAPEFRUIT. Ounce for ounce, pink and white grapefruits have the same number of calories and amount of vitamin C, but the pink variety has more than 40 times the beta carotene.
TO GET THE MOST FROM A STAIR-CLIMBING MACHINE, don't lean on the rails or fromt monitor, since that reduces your energy expenditure. Hold the rails lightly--just enough to avoid losing your balance.
DRAIN THE SAUCE FROM STIR-FRIED TAKEOUT CHINESE FOOD, since that's where a lot of the fat lurks.
STEAM INSTEAD OF BOILING. Vegetables generally lose half as much of their mineral content during steaming as compared to boiling.
TO GET THE MOST FROM VITAMIN C PILLS, divide your dose in half and take twice a day. Since the body eliminates C in about 12 hours, this will keep blood levels high throughout the day.
ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10 NUTRITION ALL-STARS among fruits and vegetables, are: broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, strawberries, and sweet potatoes.
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