9.25.2008

Support Small Businesses In Your Town

There are over 20 million small businesses in America. They employ 2 out of every 3 workers in the US. Their owners and employees don't get golden parachutes, they don't get multi-million dollar salaries or stock options. They're regular folks like the rest of us.

So, while our politicians are busy bailing out the big guys, let's make sure we continue to support the small businesses in our communities and across the country. There are plenty of small businesses in your area - be sure to seek them out and support them in whatever ways you can.

No matter what happens on Wall Street, we can continue to support our friends and neighbors on Main Street. Read more!

9.22.2008

It's Not About Less, It's About More....

After years of failed dieting, Americans are turning toward eating more of the foods that are good for them and less of the foods that cause health and weight problems. The number of people dieting is on the decline and while this could point to a growing weight problem, experts see more and more people choosing to add healthy food, including organic food, to their diets.

Many Americans have found that consuming so-called "diet" foods have not helped their waistline or their health. Full of chemical additives, many of the artificially flavored foods tend to spur the appetite without leaving you feeling satisfied.

According to an article in the NY Times on 9/18/08 (see link, below): "Last year, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on a study of 97 obese women, all of whom were avoiding high-fat foods. Half the women were instructed to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. By the end of a year, the women who were focused on adding vegetables lost an average of 17 pounds, 20 percent more than the women who were just paying attention to fat consumption."

While I'm not privy to the scientific assumptions they made, I do know that part of the solution seems psychological. Telling someone to ADD food to their diet is much more motivating than telling them to REMOVE food from their diet. Maybe that simple mindset of adding more good food is what it takes to tip the balance for some folks.

Regardless, there's a trend away from dieting and toward healthy eating and that's a good thing.

Tell me what you think. Click the Comments link and join in the discussion.

NY Times article by Tara Parker-Pope "Instead of Eating to Diet, They're Eating To Enjoy" Read more!

9.18.2008

Genetic Fake Out - Turning Back The Clock

Hey there,

A study published earlier this year proves that people who engage in moderate exercise are biologically younger than their inactive counterparts.

The study looked at certain biological markers in the DNA of test subjects and found that people who exercise regularly and with some intensity (i.e. picking up the remote control to change channels doesn't count) had the same biological markers as people ten years younger.

"Lynn F. Cherkas of King's College London and colleagues studied 2,401 white twins, administering questionnaires on physical activity level, smoking habits and socioeconomic status. The participants also provided a blood sample from which DNA was extracted.

The researchers examined the length of telomeres -- repeated sequences at the end of chromosomes -- in the twins' white blood cells.... These telomeres progressively shorten over time and may serve as a marker of biological age.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found the mean difference in... the telomeres length between the most active -- who performed an average of 199 minutes of physical activity per week -- and least active -- 16 minutes of physical activity per week -- subjects was 200 nucleotides.

In other words, the most active subjects had telomeres the same length as sedentary individuals up to 10 years younger, on average."[1]

So, here's the deal. 199 minutes of activity per week equates to about 28 minutes per day. That means getting out and walking, running, bike riding, playing with your kids, dancing to your favorite tunes or working out with your favorite aerobics DVD instructor every day - or just 40 minutes per day 5x/week.

If you want to not only liver longer AND healthier, an active lifestyle will provide that and many other benefits as well. So, put down the channel changer (or push back from the keyboard) and go out there and enjoy your day!


[1]Source: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/01/28/Exercise_may_be_fountain_of_youth/UPI-29121201566405

Read more!

9.17.2008

We Can Feed The World

Hey there,

Encouraging research came out this summer. A University of Michigan researcher determined that if all the land in the world currently being farmed for food was farmed using organic farming methods, there would still be plenty of food (kilocalories) produced - in fact, enough to feed the world.

That puts to rest the long-held myth that conventional farming methods (like spraying pesticides or using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were needed because organic farming could not produce enough food to feed the world. Of course, the counter argument in the past would have been - if conventional farming can feed the world, why do people go hungry?

Now, we have scientific research showing it is possible to go organic and feed the world. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go organic, people. Read more!