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October 2007 - Posts
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When it comes to building muscle strength, it requires a combination of adequate calorie intake and the proper amount of calories from protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is the predominant energy source for strength training. Stored as glycogen in the muscles, it is the fuel used to supply energy for short, intense bursts of power. The harder and longer you work out, the more glycogen your muscles require. Once these stores of glycogen are gone your energy level will drop and you will run out of fuel to power muscle contractions. The recommendation is that 55% of your total calories per day come from carbohydrates. Remember to choose high fiber, complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole wheat bread.
Protein
Protein is the basic building material for muscle tissue, and those who do strength training need more than non-exercisers. However, most strength athletes still overestimate their protein needs. Daily protein recommendations for serious strength athletes are 1.2-1.4 grams/kg per day. (That's about 90 grams of protein/day for the 140-pound athlete.) An ounce of meat offers 8 grams of protein and most dairy foods offer 8 grams of protein per cup.
Fat
After you've met your carbohydrate and protein needs, there is room for fat. Fat is an essential nutrient, however, you require a small amount of it to remain healthy. Less than 30% of your total daily calories should come from unsaturated fat.
Sports Drinks
Energy bars and sports drinks may be helpful if exercise lasts longer than 1 hour. Carbohydrate supplements can be useful to help fit adequate carbohydrates into a busy day if you don't have time to eat a meal. Consuming a meal-replacement beverage just after muscle-building exercise is easy to do, but you can do the same thing with a peanut butter sandwich, yogurt and fruit, or other foods. It is important to consume some protein and carbohydrate within the hour after the workout in order to fuel muscle growth and replenish energy stores for your next workout. Be careful with the calories from bars and recovery drinks – it can be easy to eat too many calories after a workout. Choose protein bars with less than 220 calories and a minimum of 10 grams of protein per serving for the best options (see sample label below).
Rebecca
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Don’t forget to join us today at 3:00 p.m. ET for a Live Chat with Dr. Bob Gleeson, author of What Healthy People Know, And The Seven Things They Do To Stay Healthy and Live Long. According to Dr. Bob, “You control at least 70% of your own health,” and you can have a very active life for a long time by making simple choices that promote a healthier life.
And if you submit a question or comment during the Live Chat you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of three iPod® nanos (see attached rules).
To participate in the Live Chat, log in to ignite.lumenos.com (no www) at 3:00 p.m. ET today. Then, click the Live Chat link on the Ignite home page.
iPod® is a trademark of Apple Inc. Apple is not a participant or sponsor of this promotion.
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Halloween is almost here. And I have to say it’s my favorite holiday. When else can you dress up as anything you want – and get candy for it?
When I was a kid, I remember trick-or-treating and competing with my sister on who got more candy. Plus I remember searching for a pumpkin and carving it to make a Jack-O-Lantern. We also used to bake the pumpkin seeds (which I’ve heard are a great source of beta-carotene). And even now, I still enjoy Halloween. I love to take my cousins out trick-or-treating and seeing everything through their eyes. They get so scared and think all the costumes are real. Plus, it’s remarkable how much time and creativity people spend on their costumes.
I have a few different fun activities planned for this weekend. Like every year, there are plenty of Halloween parties to attend. Plus, I heard about a Halloween Film Series happening in my area. They are showing a bunch of horror films, including many classics like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. Nothing beats seeing a horror movie on the big screen. And on Sunday, my friends are supposed to go on a Haunted Hayride. I’d never heard of a haunted hayride before. It Sounds both fun and scary.
So for this weekend-before-Halloween, try to find a fun (and frightening) activity for you and your family. It will be a great way to celebrate the holiday. And don’t forget to eat some fruits and vegetables along with all the candy. 
Justin – A Lumen
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When you start to feel like you never have energy, it can be directly linked to your diet. The main nutritional factors that affect energy include calories, fluids, protein, nutritional breakdown, and frequency of meals and snacks.
Looking first at the nutritional breakdown of the foods you eat, be sure that each meal or snack is balanced with adequate protein and complex carbohydrates. The right combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat eaten at regular intervals will help keep energy levels high. Your diet should include balanced meals designed to boost your energy throughout the day.
Snacks should include a balance of protein and carbohydrate to keep energy levels sustained and appetite under control. Eating healthy snacks will help keep your blood-sugar levels even so that you don't have energy “highs” and “lows.” The meal plan should include healthy foods every three to four hours to keep your energy level from falling. (Below are some examples of satisfying snacks.)
In order to meet the recommended amount of protein per day (70 grams for both men and women), it is best to include some protein with each meal and snack.
Make sure your daily intake meets your daily calorie needs, so that you are not depriving your body so much that you are in a starvation state. This will lead to a loss of energy. Make sure to space out meals and snacks every 4 to 5 hours to prevent any major dips in energy level.
Lastly, hydration is an important factor in maintaining energy. Dehydration leads to feelings of fatigue and mistakable hunger. Aim for 64 ounces of calorie-free beverages over the course of a day to stay hydrated. Not drinking enough liquids can cause you to feel fatigued due to dehydration.
• 1/2 cup dried fruit mixed with 1/4 cup nuts
• apple with peanut butter
• banana with peanut butter
• orange slices and one ounce of low-fat cheese
• 1 cup Fiber One cereal with skim milk
• 1/2 turkey or ham sandwich on whole-grain bread
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with 2 tablespoons low-fat Italian dressing
• 1/2 whole-grain English muffin with 1 ounce melted cheese
• 1/2 whole-grain bagel with 2 tablespoons hummus
• 1 boiled egg with 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/4 cup pineapple
• 1 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup low-fat granola
• 1/2 cup water-packed tuna with 6 crackers
Rebecca
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As the weather gets cooler, it becomes more important to make sure we stay active and find activities we continue to do outdoors. Like this weekend, my friend, Amber, really wants to head to West Virginia and see what the state has to offer. I’ve never been to the Mountain State so I’m excited to venture out and see new places. I’ve been told that the fall foliage – with many shades of yellow, orange and red – are magnificent, especially with the mountains as a backdrop. Plus, I hear West Virginia a good place to go antiquing. While I am drawn to more contemporary furnishings, I am excited at the possibility of finding an undiscovered treasure. I may even be able to find an early holiday present for my mom. She loves antiques. Plus, we are stopping by a pumpkin patch on the way. It will be my chance find a pumpkin for Halloween – one that is perfect for carving.
So wherever you live, take a day trip and explore somewhere new. Whether you enjoy the scenery, hunting for bargains or spending time with a friend – have a fun, active and stress-free weekend.
Justin - A Lumen
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Recent articles have discussed the benefits of eating soy products to reduce the risk of breast cancer, but experts say the effects are still unknown and that consuming soy may actually increase breast cancer risk for some women. A new review says phytoestrogens may have both a protective role and a stimulatory role in breast cancer cell growth depending on several factors, including at what age they’re consumed and whether they’re consumed as food or as supplement. The report appears in the September/October 2007 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
The phytoestrogens in soy have been studied even more since studies suggest that women from countries with high consumption of soy, which have significant levels of phytoestrogens, have less risk of breast cancer. Studies have shown Asian women have a breast cancer rate one-fifth that of Western women, and some research suggests the lower rates are linked to consumption of soy, a staple of the Asian diet. In addition to their potential role in reducing the risk of breast cancer, phytoestrogens have also begun to be used by many women with a history of breast cancer in the belief that they are a safer way to treat menopausal symptoms.
The effects of phytoestrogens on a woman's body are not fully understood. Soy is high in phytoestrogens, which are natural chemicals found in plants that act like weak forms of the estrogens naturally produced in a woman's body. Soy is especially high in the phytoestrogen isoflavone. It is believed that phytoestrogens compete with estrogen to fit into estrogen receptor sites in different parts of the body, including breast tissue. Because estrogen stimulates cell reproduction, it may be that the more exposure a women has to estrogen, the greater her breast cancer risk. In premenopausal women, phytoestrogens may have an estrogen-reducing effect because they attach to estrogen receptor sites, thus tricking the body into producing less estrogen.
The effect of phytoestrogens is less clearly understood in postmenopausal women, whose estrogen levels are naturally lowered. Although there is some evidence to suggest consumption of soy reduces breast cancer risk in premenopausal women, there is no evidence that consumption of soy reduces postmenopausal breast cancer risk.
Unfortunately, there is no compelling evidence that phytoestrogens help menopausal symptoms, and given potential concerns for stimulating breast cancer cell growth, it should not be recommended for use to treat these symptoms in post-menopausal women. In particular, women who are taking tamoxifen should be cautioned against the use of soy supplements and purified products. Although the link between diet and breast cancer is not yet clearly understood, specialists agree there are health benefits associated with consuming a diet rich in naturally occurring plant chemicals found in soy products such as tofu and in the fiber of whole grains, berries, fruits, vegetables, and flaxseed. Whether and how such a diet contributes to cancer prevention is not clearly answered and more studies need to be done in the future.
Rebecca
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What should you do when the boss is away? The appropriate response is: work. But everyone knows that this almost never happens. Instead it becomes the time to read the New York Times, catch up on celebrity gossip or chat it up with fellow coworkers. But a lax atmosphere at work while the boss is away may not be such a bad thing – and here’s why!
I once read that creativity and inspiration cannot be forced. Creativity, which is so important in the workplace today, doesn’t come while you’re sitting in a cubicle and trying to be creative. Ideas come when you’re interacting with other people, reading an article or even while you’re taking a long lunch. So the lax atmosphere we all experience when our boss is away can be a good thing. Fun activities while the boss is away will reduce your stress level and should get your creative juices flowing. Plus, it may even change your outlook on your job satisfaction or the company you work for.
So when your boss is away, have some fun. But don’t forget to do the things that can benefit your health, too. For example, organize your workstation. Clear your desk of unnecessary paperwork and file all the papers on your desk. You’ll be more organized and it will make it easy to pick up where you’ve left off when you come back to work. You might want to clean your desk area, too. Think of all the lunches spent eating at your desk and all dust and paper that lives on it. A good cleaning, especially with flu season approaching, doesn’t sound like such a bad idea, does it?
So remember, your boss being away isn’t a license to slack off. But it does mean the fun you have in between work projects could keep you happy and healthy over time.
Click Here to see what some employees did when their boss was away.
Justin – A Lumen
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Eating a low-fat diet is known to help the heart, but now there's evidence it may also have a positive effect on certain types of breast cancer. Recent studies have found that individuals with breast cancer who stick to a low-fat eating plan have a lower risk of breast cancer and/or breast cancer reoccurrence. These studies show that lifestyle change—namely lowering dietary fat intake—can have a favorable effect on breast cancer outcome. The research didn't advocate any particular brand of diet, just as long as it was low in fat intake.
In one study, after about 5 years of following a study group of women on a low-fat diet, there was evidence that women with estrogen-negative (ER-negative) tumors had lowered their risk of recurrence by 42%. The low-fat diet did not significantly lower recurrence risk in women with ER-positive tumors. For some background on breast cancer, ER-negative tumors do not have estrogen receptors and therefore do not respond to hormonal treatments like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors. That makes them more difficult to treat than hormone-sensitive tumors (also called ER-positive tumors).
The idea that fat intake might affect breast cancer is linked to the knowledge that fat affects estrogen production, and estrogen fuels breast cancer. But the low-fat diet only seemed to impact women with estrogen-negative tumors, suggesting other mechanisms play a role in breast cancer.
If these results are confirmed in more additional trials, reduction of dietary fat intake could be considered part of the management of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. These individuals would then have an additional option within their control for reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
There is no reason to wait to follow a low-fat diet. A low-fat diet should consist of no more than 30% of total calories from fat. High-fat foods include cheese, red meat, sausages, butter, cream sauces, and fried foods. Instead, choose reduced fat or fat-free dairy foods and lean meats like salmon, tuna, chicken, and other white fish. Lastly, don’t forget to add a variety of fruits and vegetables which contain powerful antioxidants that can reduce the risk of cancer.
Next week I will take a look at the estrogen effects of foods and the prevention of breast cancer.
Rebecca
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I am happy to announce we will be holding a live chat with Dr. Bob Gleeson, author of "What Healthy People Know", on October 30th at 3pm EST ! Dr. Bob will be available to discuss the book and any questions you have. See you then!
Dell- a Lumen
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So maybe you're not a sprinter -- but in this relay, you can still win! That's because this relay takes place online...
In the Positive Post Relay we're sharing healthy thoughts and encouragement with other Ignite users. And the Relay Race pays off in multiple ways -- the chance to learn from other Ignite users' healthy thoughts and ideas + the chance to win prizes every week, like gift baskets, a $300 spa gift card or a new bicycle!
To enter, just post positive, health-related messages in the Ignite-A-Thon Channel starting today. Start a new thread or respond to someone else's ideas. For example:
- Have you found a good snack to curb late-night cravings?
- Do you have a favorite TV show to watch or music to listen to while you work out?
- If you're participating in Ignite-A-Thon, is there a reason you chose to support your organization?
There are four legs (or weeks) to the Relay. The first leg starts today (October 8), and runs through Sunday, October 14. Here are the two ways you can win prizes:
Weekly Prizes: For each week until November 4, two people who posted at least one message will win a $50 Healthy Gift Basket (packed with goodies like granola bars, fruits and nuts, or organic pretzels). That's two Weekly Prizes for four weeks!
Grand Prizes: If you post a message in all four weeks of the Relay, you will be entered to be one of our two Grand Prizes winners. As a Positive Post Relay Grand Prize winner, you'll win your choice of a bicycle or a $300 gift card to a spa.
Looking forward to reading all your healthy words of encouragement! (Click here for the Official Rules.)
Kerry (a Lumen)
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I’ve lived in the Washington DC area for over a year and a half and have done the typical tourist attractions – the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian, Georgetown. But most recently, I’ve realized that I don’t know much more about the history of the area. So for my fun activity this weekend, I am going to learn more about where I live – by foot.
I did some research online and discovered there are tons of walking tours available. There's one of historic Georgetown, a tour of Capitol Hill and even one from the perspective of FDR's dog, Gala. And with Halloween approaching, there is also a haunted monument walking tour that I could take. Most of the tours meet on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and they last about 2 hours. The tickets are reasonable and no reservations are necessary. So I signed myself up. I am taking a tour of where I live, the U Street area.
There are also plenty of books available on walking tours for cities throughout the country. Many provide various walking tour routes along with interesting historical information and pictures.
So get off the couch this weekend and take a walk around your city. Whether it’s through a tour group or by yourself, walking tours are a fun way to learn about the history and the character of where you live. Plus, they’ll keep you active.
Justin Zielke
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When it comes to improving heart health, it is not all about cutting out the trans fat and limiting saturated fat. There are certain foods that are good for the heart and help reduce the risk for developing heart disease.
Omega 3 fatty acids are very important for protecting the heart, so try incorporating salmon or tuna, ground flax seeds, and/or almonds/walnuts to get your daily dose of the good fats. Fiber is an important asset in the diet to optimize lower cholesterol. The daily goal is 25-30 grams per day. Oatmeal, beans, and whole grains offer a substantial amount of fiber. Don’t forget fruits and vegetables provide 2-3 grams of fiber per ½ cup serving. Fruits and vegetables that are deep in color are antioxidants – blueberries, spinach, and carrots.
Not to save the best for the last, but the newest recommendations include red wine and dark chocolate. Red wine contains an antioxidant – reservatrol that has been found to improve “good” HDL cholesterol. To go along with your daily glass of red wine, add a small piece of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains cocoa phenols (flavonoids) that have been shown in studies to lower blood pressure and have antioxidant protective qualities.
Keep in mind you can lower your risk for heart disease by improving your diet. Remember to couple a healthy diet with an exercise program for the best results.
 
Rebecca
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To wrap up our Ignite Book Club for this time, we turn to the last few chapters of What Healthy People Know. The chapter "Be Kind- Unwind" talks about stress and how too much of it can damage our heath and even cut our lives short. Dr. Bob makes some great points about stress, talking about daily stressors such as the pace of normal life, negative world events and being constantly "in touch with the world" with email, cell phones, and television news invading our lives 24/7. Even de-stressing activities such as exercise can become stressful when we are rushed, multitasking while we do it, or taking it so seriously we don't enjoy it. While stress is sort of difficult to define, there's no question that stress is costly in terms of drugs used to reduce anxiety and depression, health insurance premiums, disabilities that are made worse by stress, and family problems including divorce. Clearly, stress affects our mental and physical health.
To combat the effects of stress in our lives, Dr. Bob highly recommends finding quiet time for ourselves- truly quiet time where our thoughts only center around our breathing. He highly recommends focused meditation for a few minutes each day. He also suggests that, like other choices we make about our health, we pretty much choose whether to be stressed or not. While we may not be able to control things that happen, we choose how we react to things in our lives, and how much time we make for ourselves. So, be kind to yourself and choose to unwind! What other ways do you reduce stress in your life? How are you kind to yourself ?
The last chapter talks about preventive medical care and reminds us that preventing problems is much easier than fixing them. Getting some basic preventive care from your physician is important, in addition to the other preventive measures discussed throughout the book. Specifically, Dr. Bob focuses on the largely preventable conditions of heart disease and cancer. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, killing more people than the next seven causes of death combined. That's impressive, and tragic, considering how preventable heart disease is.
Doctors and scientists know how people can prevent heart disease:
1. Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
2. Maintain a healthy weight
3. Don't smoke
4. Get some exercise
5. If you have diabetes, treat it
6. Know your family history
Most people have one or more of these risk factors, but your risk grows significantly with more risk factors. The good news is, that eliminating one or more (hopefully all) of these factors reduces your risk significantly.
Blood pressure and cholesterol are fairly easily treated through medication. Dr. Bob reminds us that your physician can work with you on assessing and maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol. Many people don't even know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, and as many as 30% of Americans have high blood pressure. Another alarming fact was that half of those being treated for hypertension and high cholesterol are non compliant with their mediation regime, mainly because they feel no symptoms or effects of the medication and therefore stop taking them. The problem is that medicine doesn't work at all if you don't take it!
Cancer screening such as colonoscopies and mammograms play a vital role in detecting and treating cancer early, which is by far the most critical aspect of treating cancer. And since the Lumenos plans offer free preventive care, there's no reason consumers shouldn't take advantage of this benefit and have their preventive visits and screenings. Philosophically, Lumenos plans support what Dr. Bob is preaching- prevention is the key to good health. Preventing illness is much less expensive than treating illness, and it's better for consumers!
Have you seen your physician for your annual checkup and screening this year? What do your numbers say about your risk for heart disease? There is lots of great information on the Lumenos consumer Web site about preventive care, recommended tests and screenings for various age groups, as well as tools that help you make sense of your results. You can track your and your family members' numbers in My Health Profile as a handy reference. Knowing your numbers is the first step to taking control of your health- so if you haven't seen your physician recently, now is a great time!
Soon we will announce the date and time of our live Book Club chat as well as our next book. I really enjoyed reading the helpful information in What Healthy People Know, and look forward to discussing it with everyone in the live chat!
Dell - a Lumen
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Here's a healthy idea to think about:
Quit the clean plate club.
No need to ask for second helpings these days. Over the past 20 years, the average restaurant serving of spaghetti and meatballs has fattened up – from 500 to more than 1,000 calories. Don’t feel compelled to clean a bigger plate. Take half of it home or ask for a smaller portion.
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