What Your Body Needs

Many people think nothing of eating a double cheeseburger, medium fries and a medium cola. If you dissect this "meal," you'll find that on average, it contains an unbelievable 68 grams of fat (17 teaspoons), almost half of which are saturated; 15 grams of trans fatty acids; 150 mg of cholesterol; 1,200 mg of salt; and 20 teaspoons of sugar (all from the cola)! If you factor in that the fries were probably cooked in hydrogenated cottonseed oil, one of the most heavily pesticide-laden crops in the world, and that the meat, if overcooked, could contain carcinogens, or if undercooked, could result in food poisoning from E. coli, you may agree it's time to find a new all-American meal.

The Bad Guys: High levels of saturated fat are consistently linked with elevated blood cholesterol levels, heart disease, insulin resistance and several forms of cancer. Most Americans eat about 40 grams of saturated fat every day, which is twice as much as is considered healthy. Animal products are the greatest source of saturated fats in the Western diet.

For many years, trans fatty acids were considered a relatively minor player in health and disease. Although their impact on total cholesterol is not quite as profound as it is with saturated fats, the overall damage to heart health is worse. Trans fatty acids not only raise total cholesterol, but also lower HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) and potentially increase triglycerides. Gram for gram, the adverse effect of trans fatty acids is estimated to be two to four times greater than that of saturated fatty acids. The most common sources are crackers, cookies, granola bars, chips and other snack foods, baked goods, margarine, shortening and deep-fried fast foods.

Cholesterol is made by animals, not plants; all animal foods contain cholesterol, while plant foods are all cholesterol-free. The next time you buy any plant-based food like peanut butter that says "no cholesterol" on the label, realize that is just a sales gimmick. There are several concerns about eating too much cholesterol because it can cause blood cholesterol levels to rise, increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. The recommended daily intake of cholesterol is less than 200 mg, which is a little less than the amount of cholesterol in one egg yolk.

The Good Guys: Science has known for a very long time that vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are healthful foods. Researchers assumed that the substances that made these foods so good for us were the vitamins, minerals and fiber. They were right, but only partly. In the past 20 years, scientists have discovered a whole new set of protective compounds packed within every whole-plant food: phytochemicals and antioxidants. Phytochemicals are natural substances that protect plants against attacks from insects. When we eat plants, these same powerful little protectors go to work on our behalf, with remarkable human health benefits.

Many phytochemicals are strong antioxidants, neutralizing destructive free radicals. Some phytochemicals provide anticancer support, helping the body rid itself of potent carcinogens. Others protect against cardiovascular disease by helping to reduce the formation of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, decrease blood cholesterol levels, reduce blood clot formation, open blood vessels and decrease damage to blood vessel walls. The list of significant beneficial activities of phytochemicals includes anti-inflammatory, anti-yeast, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and immune-enhancing benefits. Which foods are the most efficient phytochemical factories? Vegetables and fruits stand out as being particularly important, although legumes (beans), grains, nuts and seeds are also excellent sources. Choosing a wide variety of colorful, whole-plant foods is the key to a phytochemical-rich diet.

Hopefully this gives you a good starting point for improving your health. Limit your intake of saturated fat, trans fatty acids and cholesterol, and eat more whole foods, including seven to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day to maximize your phytonutrient and antioxidant protection. Talk to your doctor for more information.

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How to Fit in Fitness

Current exercise recommendations call for 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity, five days per week. Sound impossible? Not when you consider there are 1,440 minutes in a day. Can't you take a mere two percent of your time and devote it to staying in shape? If you think it's not that easy, think again.

	Timing is everything. Monitor your daily activities for one week, and then identify at least three 30-minute time slots per day that you could devote to physical activity.
	Support makes sense. Make sure your friends and family know you are dedicated to consistent physical activity, and ask for their support. You can recruit others to join you, too, which will make it much easier to stay focused.
	Rest your brain (and bank account). There are plenty of activities that don't require particular skill or cash, such as walking, cycling, jumping rope or swimming.
	Don't be afraid to multitask. No, that doesn't mean you should try to do the bills or plan the family holiday party during your designated 30-minute exercise window. It does mean you can jump rope while watching TV, wrestle with the kids, take a family bike ride (which is good exercise for everyone), or do housework or gardening.

So, now that you know how to fit in fitness, what are you waiting for? Find the time, stay on course and enjoy a healthier, happier life. There's no better time than now to start. Your doctor can help outline an exercise program suitable to your needs.

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Mind-Body Wellness

Yoga combines physical and mental discipline to achieve peace of mind and strength of body. Various branches of yoga utilize different physical postures or asanas; however, each branch has several elements in common. Perhaps the most important is the emphasis on the connection between the power of the mind and the body. Evidence suggests that when practiced consistently, yoga can tone and strengthen muscles, ease stress and even help fight addictions.

Smoking is one such addiction that seems to respond favorably to yoga. Kundalini yoga in particular is thought to benefit smokers in their battle to quit. Kundalini is one of the more vigorous forms of yoga. Strenuous and repetitive movements stretch people's limits. Particular attention to heavy breathing draws participants' focus straight to the lungs and their current health state.

The mind-body-spirit approach that yoga uses is becoming increasingly popular in addiction-recovery programs. Part of the addiction of smoking is associated with the mental comfort a cigarette provides. People who are addicted to just about any substance either have significant anxiety. In general, smoking is used to alleviate that anxiety.

Yoga may help conquer other common addictions such as shopping, gambling and drinking. Yoga therapy also recognizes that the addiction may be a symptom of another, larger emotional problem. For example, alcoholism may develop as a mechanism for dealing with depression, and some people smoke to deal with insecurity.

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