Now that chain restaurant menus list how many calories are in each dish, it’s harder to justify eating certain foods anymore (we’re talking to you, 460-calorie scone from Starbucks). But a study, presented by Texas Christian University researchers at the Experimental Biology meeting in April 2013, found that people make even healthier choices if, instead of seeing the calorie count, they’re shown how much exercise it takes to burn off what they’re considering eating.
Maybe one day, menus will list how many minutes you’ll need to log on the rowing machine to erase that scone (48 minutes with vigorous effort, for the record). Until then, here’s a quick guide for you (all calorie calculations are based on a 140-pound woman):
Mozzarella Sticks
One basket of mozzarella sticks at 763 calories = 84 minutes of singles tennis (or two hours and 15 minutes of doubles!)
Cheeseburger
One single cheeseburger at 343 calories = 30 minutes of vigorous freestyle laps in the pool
Bagel
One medium-sized bagel at 289 calories + 1 oz of cream cheese at 97 calories = 2 hours and 15 minutes of yoga
Cheese Pizza
One slice of cheese pizza at 285 calories = 50 minutes of walking at a brisk pace (that means 4 mph on the treadmill)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two chocolate chip cookies at 155 calories = 15 minutes on the stair climber
Tostadas
Two tostadas with guacamole at 360 calories = 2 hours of
Pilates
Tuna Salad Sub
One tuna salad sub at 584 calories = 45 minutes of running at a 9-minute-mile pace
Soda
One 12-oz can of regular soda at 136 calories = 20 minutes of cross-country (i.e. backcountry) hiking
Oat Bran Muffin
One medium-size oat bran muffin (113 grams) at 305 calories = 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer
Beer
One 12-oz light beer at 103 calories = 30 minutes of bowling
Courtesy of YouBeauty.com
Ingredients: 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried lavendar (McCormick) 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin 1 tablespoon water 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 large egg yolks 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk 1 (6-ounce) container 2% Greek style plain yogurt 2 cups quartered strawberries Preparation: 1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring occassionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Strain syrup through a sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Chill 2. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Let stand 1 minute or until gelatin dissolves. 3. Combine honey, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. 4. Heat milk over medium-high heat in a small heavy saucepan to 180 degrees or until tiny bubbles form around edge (don not boil). Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture, stirring well. Poor milk mixture into a bowl; stir occassionally until cool but not set (about 20 minutes). Stir in yogurt. Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt mixture into each of 8 dessert glasses or bowls. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. 5. Top each serving with 1/4 cup stra
- 1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 1 minute or
until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10
minutes. Strain syrup through a sieve into a small bowl; discard solids.
Chill.
- 2. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Let stand 1
minute or until gelatin dissolves.
- 3. Combine honey, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks in a medium bowl; stir
well with a whisk.
- 4. Heat milk over medium-high heat in a small heavy saucepan to 180° or
until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk to egg
mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over
medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture, stirring well. Pour milk mixture into a
bowl; stir occasionally until cool but not set (about 20 minutes). Stir in
yogurt. Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt mixture into each of 8 dessert glasses or bowls.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
- 5. Top each serving with 1/4 cup strawberries, and drizzle with 2 teaspoons
syrup
With all the pressures and demands placed on us by work, family,
and our many other relationships, life can certainly get downright stressful at
times.
If you have a job, have a family, or interact with other human
beings daily, then you know what I'm talking about.
Unfortunately, most people reach for all the WRONG foods when they're stressed, and even worse, many others turn to unhealthy habits like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes
(yikes!) to cope with life's challenges...all disastrous choices for your
health, hormones, and waistline alike.
But what if you could EAT your way to a more relaxed, calmer state, without packing on the pounds? Or even better, what if you could do it while DROPPING some of those pesky pound-a-roos as you do?
Well, good news.... you CAN, when you know exactly which belly-slimming foods to reach for when things just so happen to get a little crazy. Here are 8 of my favorites:
1. Oatmeal- Carbs prompt your brain to make more serotonin - your body's "feel good" chemical. Choosing a low GI carb source that yields a steady blood sugar response, like old fashioned oatmeal, is a healthy choice for your waistline while also yielding a steady, sustained supply of serotonin for a calming, soothing effect.
2. Oranges- In one study, German researchers found that consuming Vitamin C helped test subjects experience reduced elevations in cortisol (your body's #1 stress hormone) and blood pressure when subjected to a specific stressful environment -- public speaking and math problems! Poor research subjects! Other foods high in Vitamin C include peppers, cantaloupe, and
tomatoes, just to name a few.
3. Turkey- Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan, which also triggers serotonin release and a relaxed state. Gobble gobble...time for a nap!
4. Salmon- Salmon and other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty
acids, which have been shown to have a positive effect on stress levels. For instance, a study published in Diabetes & Metabolism found that omega-3s keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline from peaking, while another study conducted at Ohio State University showed omega-3 fatty acids to decrease anxiety by 20%!
5. Avocados- Due to their high potassium content, avocados have been shown to help reduce stress-related high blood pressure. Believe it or not, avocados actually contain more potassium than bananas! Guacamole anyone?
6. Broccoli- Broccoli contains folic acid, a vitamin which has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, panic, and depression. Just another reason to chow down on this super food regularly.
7. Almonds- Crunch crunch, yum yum...stress relief at it's best!
These little guys are packed with B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc, all of which are involved in the production of serotonin. The zinc and magnesium combination in particular has been shown to improve sleep from a variety of angles. For example, one Italian study showed zinc and magnesium to shorten the time it took subjects to fall asleep while improving quality of sleep and altertness the morning after.
8. Blueberries- Packed with antioxidants that reduce oxidative
stress within the body, blueberries are also rich in Vitamin C whose benefits we went over earlier. As an added benefit, they're also extremely low glycemic so they're a great choice practically any time of day.
Courtesy of BioTrust Nutrition
You might not want to rush into knee surgery. Physical therapy can be just as good for a common injury and at far less cost and risk, the most rigorous study to compare these treatments concludes. Therapy didn't always help and some people wound up having surgery for the problem, called a torn meniscus. But those who stuck with therapy had improved as much six months and one year later as those who were given arthroscopic surgery right away, researchers found. "Both are very good choices. It would be quite reasonable to try physical therapy first because the chances are quite good that you'll do quite well," said one study leader, Dr. Jeffrey Katz, a joint specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He was to discuss the study Tuesday at an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons conference in Chicago. Results were published online by the New England Journal of Medicine. A meniscus is one of the crescent-shaped cartilage discs that cushion the knee. About one-third of people over 50 have a tear in one, and arthritis makes this more likely. Usually the tear doesn't cause symptoms but it can be painful. When that happens, it's tough to tell if the pain is from the tear or the arthritis or whether surgery is needed or will help. Nearly half a million knee surgeries for a torn meniscus are done each year in the U.S. The new federally funded study compared surgery with a less drastic option. Researchers at seven major universities and orthopedic surgery centers around the U.S. assigned 351 people with arthritis and meniscus tears to get either surgery or physical therapy. The therapy was nine sessions on average plus exercises to do at home, which experts say is key to success. After six months, both groups had similar rates of functional improvement. Pain scores also were similar. Thirty percent of patients assigned to physical therapy wound up having surgery before the six months was up, often because they felt therapy wasn't helping them. Yet they ended up the same as those who got surgery right away, as well as the rest of the physical therapy group who stuck with it and avoided having an operation. "There are patients who would like to get better in a `fix me' approach" and surgery may be best for them, said Elena Losina, another study leader from Brigham and Women's Hospital. However, an Australian preventive medicine expert contends that the study's results should change practice. Therapy "is a reasonable first strategy, with surgery reserved for the minority who don't have improvement," Rachelle Buchbinder of Monash University in Melbourne wrote in a commentary in the medical journal. As it is now, "millions of people are being exposed to potential risks associated with a treatment that may or may not offer specific benefit, and the costs are substantial," she wrote. Surgery costs about $5,000, compared with $1,000 to $2,000 for a typical course of physical therapy, Katz said. One study participant, Bob O'Keefe, 68, of suburban Boston, was glad to avoid surgery for his meniscus injury three years ago. "I felt better within two weeks" on physical therapy, he said. "My knee is virtually normal today" and he still does the recommended exercises several times a week. Robert Dvorkin had both treatments for injuries on each knee several years apart. Dvorkin, 56, director of operations at the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City, had surgery followed by physical therapy for a tear in his right knee and said it was months before he felt no pain. Then several years ago he hurt his left knee while exercising. "I had been doing some stretching and doing some push-ups and I just felt it go `pop.'" he recalls. "I was limping, it was extremely painful." An imaging test showed a less severe tear and a different surgeon recommended physical therapy. Dvorkin said it worked like a charm, he avoided surgery and recovered faster than from his first injury. The treatment involved two to three hour-long sessions a week including strengthening exercises, balancing and massage. He said the sessions weren't that painful and his knee felt better after each one. "Within a month I was healed," Dvorkin said. "I was completely back to normal." AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner in Chicago contributed to this report. Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAPLindsey Tanner can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner
The great people at FPR (Feeling Pretty Remarkable) contacted us last week and said they really like our website and our blog so they wanted to share our information on their website. After digging around on their blog site we determined that they offer some pretty remarkable information so we have added them to the Links section of our website. We invite you to do some exploring of your own and
Evolve is excited to offer our LightCure laser therapy treatments to patients. Many of you many be asking What Is Laser Therapy. It is a non-invasive, drug-free and surgery free treatment modality.
FDA Cleared: The LightForce Therapy Laser is FDA cleared for the treatment of pain and inflammation and the temporary increase of microcirculation.
Safe: Laser therapy treatment is a low-risk, noninvasive safe way to achieve pain relief.
Proven: Laser therapy has effectively treated pain associated with inflammation for over 20 years. Laser therapy is endorsed by clinical organizations, including the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
Painless: During treatment patients feel a soothing warmth and treatments can be administered using both contact and non contact techniques depending on the sensitivity of the condition.
Advanced: Laser therapy is a technologicaly advanced treatment that uses light energy to accelerate your body's own natural healing processes to help speed recovery and get you back in action.
The diagram above shows some of the many ailments that can be successfully treated with our laser.
What can you expect as a result of laser treatment?
1. Reduced swelling and inflammation in target tissue both deep and superficial.
2. Immediate pain and discomfort reduction from the drecrease in inflammation.
3. Enhanced mobility and flexibility in stiff joints.
4. Reduced muscle tightness and spasms.
5. An accelerated recovery from your injury or condition.
Laser therapy can be used in combination with physical therapy, massage and other soft tissue therapies and exercise. If you have been unsuccessful in obtaining a full recovery from an injury or the other maladies listed above, come by our office and get a laser treatment. You will be glad you did!
 The following is a summary of an article from Reader's Digest. It identifies the best picks of foods to prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, headaches, and countless everyday ills.
1. Figs: They are known to prevent the bone loss associated with aging. Figs are also very high in fiber.
Ways to eat them: Slice fresh, unpeeled figs and serve with cheese or put them in a salad.
2. Beets: They produce nitric acid, which helps increase blood flow throughout your body and are known to sharpen your mind.
Ways to eat them: Roast, then puree beets into a dip with Greek yogurt and horseradish or put raw beets into a salad.
3. Fresh Cranberries: These little red berries can help prevent heart disease. They keep the bad cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to artery walls.
Ways to eat them: Saute and serve with pork, or combine with banana, pineapple and orange for a fruit salad.
4. Orange pith: A great source of fiber and antioxidants.
Ways to eat it: Roast thin slices of the pith and serve with whole wheat pancakes.
5. Eggs: A great source of protein. They contain zinc and iron to promote healthy hair and strong nails.
Ways to eat them: Scramble with a handful of spinach, or top a bowl of vegetables and brown rice with a lightly fried egg, sesame seeds and soy sauce.
6. Sesame seeds: Eating a few spoonsful as day dramatically decreases LDL (bad cholesterol).
Ways to eat them: Sprinkle on oatmeal, steamed veggies or make hummus with tahini, a sesame seed butter.
7. Mustard: Helps protect against cancer, prevent cardiovascular disease, defends cells against damaging free radicals, and gives your immune system a boost.
Ways to eat it: Dip roasted veggies in mustard-honey sauce or whisk together mustard, oil, and vinegar for a salad dressing.
8. Lamb: A good source of omega-3 fatty acids that can protect against heart disease and strokes.
Ways to eat it: Roast leg of lamb or use ground lamb as a topping for tacos or pizza.
9. Frozen broccoli: Frozen varieties contain up to 35% more beta-carotene by weight than fresh broccoli. Helps the body fight off infections that inflame the lungs and arteries.
Ways to eat it: Toss steamed florets with tomato sauce and toasted walnuts for a side dish, or scatter atop a frozen pizza before baking.
10. Chiles: May help prevent the blood clots that lead to a heart attack and stroke.
Ways to eat them: Add chopped chiles to stir-fry, eggs and soup.
11. Kiwis: They help fight free radicals that can lead to cancer.
Ways to eat them: Don't peel them, the skin is very high in fiber and vitamin C. Eat like a peach or chop them and add to salads.
12. Celery leaves: Contain more calcium, iron, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin C than the stalks.
Ways to eat it: Use like parsley or mix into salads.
For more tips and nutritional advice ask the team at Evolve Physical Therapy + Advanced Wellness...we are eager to help you!
Here are 10 tips, backed by scientific research that offer delightful and sometimes surprising ways to improve your health.
1. Socialize: friends, family, neighbors and colleagues can help you live longer and better. People with consistant, active social lives are less likely to experience a decline in the ability to reason and remember.
2. Get a pet: whether feathered or furry, pets are good for your health. People who own pets have healthier hearts and make fewer visits to the doctor. Pets can help to lower blood pressure in stressful situations. Pet owners are more physically fit and tend to be less lonely than people without pets.
3. Choose chocolate: got to love this one. Dark chocolate is rich in plant compounds called flavonoids, natural antioxidants that help the body's cells resist damage that may contribute to cancer and other maladies. Don't over do it. Limit yourself to about one ounce per day.
4. Savor your coffee: coffee-regular or decaf-appears to lower the risk of dying from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and pneumonia. Other research concludes that caffeinated coffee may protect against skin cancer, liver damage, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's. So if coffee doesn't keep you awake at night, enjoy that cup of joe, just go easy on the cream and sugar.
5. Raise a glass of wine or beer: a glass of wine, either red or white, is hearthealthy. Beer is good too. Although scientist still don't know whether the protective effects come from the alcohol itself or from some nonalcoholic component, they agree that both beverages also protect against diabetes and certain types of cancer. Go easy though...one glass of wine or beer for women a day and two for men. More than that can cause problems.
6. Have sex: yep, sex causes the brain to release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that act as painkillers and reduce anxiety. Sex also prompts the release of substances that bolster the immune system. What's more, sexual activity is associated with lower levels of depression in both men and women.
7. Listen to music: music profoundly affects health. Emotions that are aroused by joyful music cause tissue in the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow. Music also brings on sound sleep, boosts mood and reduces anxiety. Finally, studies show that patients feel less pain and need less pain medication after surgery if they listen to music while recuperating.
8. Take a nap: a midafternoon nap can help improve mood, memory, alertness and learning and it won't interfere with your nighttime zzz's. Research shows that a 90-minute siesta clears the brain's short-term memory storage center and makes room for new information. Snoozing for 20 minutes improves alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy.
9. Get outside: staying in touch with nature is essential for good health. Greener environments cut the time it takes to recover from surgery, improve the way the immune system works and help diabetics achieve healthier blood glucose levels. Surprisingly, as little as 5 minutes a day of walking in a city park, cycling, gardening, fishing, boating and other outdoor activities can boost your mood and sense of well-being.
10. Toss your soap: stop using the high octane soaps and household cleaners that contain the antibacterial agent triclosan. Plain-jane soaps work just as those that tout themselves as "antibacterial". What's more, triclosan may contribute to the rise of dangerous, disease-causing bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
FInally, live joyfully. At least once a week, buy yourself the present of spending time doing exactly what you want!
Re-print of an article by Nissa Simon for AARP Bulletin.
As we are in the midst of the Holiday Season we felt it would be good to do some healthy reflecting. This article is from a nurse who worked with patients who had gone home to die. Here is her account of the experience.
I was with them for the last three to twelvel weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people surpressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they wre truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they had deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so called "comfort" of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness!
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