Physical Activity Engineered to fit YOUR life!

According to the federal government's Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults need at least two and a half hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activity that works all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week. In recent years, physical activity research has evolved to reflect compelling evidence that physical activity accumulated in brief bouts spread over the course of a day is "powerful medicine" and provides many of the benefits recognized from longer daily bouts.

The A-B-E for Fitness^TM program was designed specifically to help adults meet those recommendations for daily physical activity by offering a library of more than 50 videos offering guided physical activity routines, each of which can be done in 3 to 5 minutes. A-B-E for Fitness^TM offers a variety of options based on users' time, interests, needs, and fitness levels, in different settings – the home, office and waiting area.

We teamed up with Dr. Stephan Esser, a Clinical Fellow and specialist in Physical Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and his wife, Tiffany, a personal trainer, to develop the program. They bring their passion for exercise and explain the exercises clearly and provide options to perform each activity in a basic or more advanced manner.

The benefits of daily physical activity include improved health status and well-being, increased energy levels, reduced risk for heart disease and cancer, reduced stress, improved mood, and improved productivity at work and school. Since the A-B-E for Fitness^TM program is short, doable, and fun, it can help people change their perception of physical activity so that being more physically active becomes part of their normal lives

The A-B-E for Fitness program offers a free video library of 3 to 8 minute activity bursts that will allow you, your colleagues and your family to move and exercise everywhere, everyday! 

The exercise videos are organized by the setting (office, home, waiting area, etc), the body region involved, and whether the exercise is performed seated or standing.

Depending on your fitness level, you can start doing one burst per day and then build up gradually

Dietary fats: Know which types to choose

Most foods contain several different kinds of fat, and some are better for your health than others. You don't need to completely eliminate all fat from your diet. In fact, some fats actually help promote good health. But it's wise to choose the healthier types of dietary fat and then enjoy them — in moderation.

The facts about fat

There are numerous types of fat. Your body makes its own fat from taking in excess calories. Some fats are found in foods from plants and animals and are known as dietary fat. Dietary fat is a macronutrient that provides energy for your body. Fat is essential to your health because it supports a number of your body's functions. Some vitamins, for instance, must have fat to dissolve and nourish your body.

But there is a dark side to fat. Fat is high in calories and small amounts can add up quickly. If you eat more calories than you need, you will gain weight. Excess weight is linked to poor health.

The concern with some types of dietary fat (and their cousin cholesterol) is that they are thought to play a role in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Dietary fat also may have a role in other diseases, including obesity and cancer.

Research about the possible harms and benefits of dietary fat is always evolving. And a growing body of research suggests that when it comes to dietary fat, you should focus on eating healthy fats and avoiding unhealthy fats. Simply stated, fat is made up of varying amounts of fatty acids. It's the type and amount of fatty acid found in food that determines the effect of the fat on your health.

Harmful dietary fat

There are two main types of potentially harmful dietary fat — fat that is mostly saturated and fat that contains trans fat:

• Saturated fat. This is a type of fat that comes mainly from animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Saturated fat raises total blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Trans fat. This is a type of fat that occurs naturally in some foods in small amounts. But most trans fats are made from oils through a food processing method called partial hydrogenation. By partially hydrogenating oils, they become easier to cook with and less likely to spoil than do naturally occurring oils. Research studies show that these partially hydrogenated trans fats can increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Most fats that have a high percentage of saturated fat or that contain trans fat are solid at room temperature. Because of this, they're typically referred to as solid fats. They include beef fat, pork fat, butter, shortening and stick margarine.

Healthier dietary fat

The types of potentially helpful dietary fat are mostly unsaturated:

• Monounsaturated fat. This is a type of fat found in a variety of foods and oils. Studies show that eating foods rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease. Research also shows that MUFAs may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.
• Polyunsaturated fat. This is a type of fat found mostly in plant-based foods and oils. Evidence shows that eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease. PUFAs may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Omega-3 fatty acids. One type of polyunsaturated fat is made up of mainly omega-3 fatty acids and may be especially beneficial to your heart. Omega-3, found in some types of fatty fish, appears to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. It may also protect against irregular heartbeats and help lower blood pressure levels. There are plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. However, the body doesn't convert it and use it as well as omega-3 from fish.

Foods made up mostly of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil and corn oil. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring. Plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed (ground), oils (canola, flaxseed, soybean), and nuts and other seeds (walnuts, butternuts and sunflower).

A word about cholesterol

Cholesterol isn't a fat. Rather, it's a waxy, fat-like substance. Your body manufactures some cholesterol. Your body also absorbs some dietary cholesterol — cholesterol that's found in foods of animal origins, such as meat and eggs. Cholesterol is vital because, among other important functions, it helps build your body's cells and produces certain hormones. But your body makes enough cholesterol to meet its needs — you don't need any dietary cholesterol.

Excessive cholesterol in your diet can increase your unhealthy LDL cholesterol level, although not as much as saturated fat does. This can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Most foods that contain saturated fat also contain cholesterol. So cutting back on these foods will help decrease both saturated fat and cholesterol. The exception to this is tropical oils, which are high in saturated fat but contain no cholesterol.

Recommendations for fat intake

Because some dietary fats are potentially helpful and others potentially harmful to your health, it pays to know which ones you're eating and whether you're meeting national recommendations. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans offer recommendations about dietary fat intake.

Here's a look at the recommendations and common sources of each type of dietary fat. Be aware that many foods contain different kinds of fat and varying levels of each type. For example, butter contains unsaturated fats, but a large percentage of the total fat is saturated fat. And canola oil has a high percentage of monounsaturated fat but also contains smaller amounts of polyunsaturated and saturated fat.

Type of fat	Recommendation
Total fat	This includes all types of dietary fat. Limit total fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this amounts to about 44 to 78 grams of total fat a day.
Monounsaturated fat	While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance.
Polyunsaturated fat	While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance.
Omega-3 fatty acids	While no specific amount is recommended, the guidelines recommend eating foods rich in this healthy fat while staying within your total fat allowance.
Saturated fat	Limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your total calories. Limit to 7 percent to further reduce your risk of heart disease. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, a 10 percent limit amounts to about 22 grams of saturated fat a day, while 7 percent is about 15 grams. Saturated fat intake counts toward your total daily allowance of fat.
Trans fat	No specific amount is recommended, but the guidelines say the lower the better. Avoid trans fat by looking at food labels and by checking for the term "partially hydrogenated."
Cholesterol	Less than 300 milligrams a day. Less than 200 milligrams a day if you're at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS, 2010

Need help calculating what your daily fat intake should be in grams? Multiply your daily total calorie intake by the recommended percentage of fat intake. Divide that total by 9, which is the number of calories in a gram of fat. For example, here's how a 7 percent saturated fat limit looks if you eat 2,000 calories a day. Multiply 2,000 by 0.07 to get 140 calories. Divide 140 by 9 to get about 15 grams of saturated fat.

What about very low-fat diets?

If watching fat content is a good strategy, is it even better to try to eliminate all fat from your diet? No. First, your body needs some fat — the healthy fats — to function normally. If you try to avoid all fat, you risk getting insufficient amounts of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

Also, in attempting to remove fat from your diet, you may wind up eating too many processed foods touted as low-fat or fat-free rather than healthier and naturally lower fat foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Instead of doing away with fat in your diet, enjoy healthy fats in moderation.

Tips for choosing foods with the best types of dietary fat

So now that you know which types of dietary fat are healthy or unhealthy, and how much to include, how do you adjust your diet to meet dietary guidelines?

First, focus on reducing foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Then emphasize food choices that include plenty of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). But a word of caution — don't go overboard even on healthy fats. All fats, including the healthy ones, are high in calories. So consume MUFA-rich and PUFA-rich foods instead of other fatty foods, not in addition to them.

Here are some tips to help you make over the fat in your diet:

• Use the Nutrition Facts label when selecting foods. Read food labels and look for the amount of trans fat listed. By law a serving of food containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat can be labeled as 0 grams. Therefore, it is important to also check ingredient lists for the term "partially hydrogenated." It's best to avoid foods that contain trans fat and those that have been partially hydrogenated.
• Prepare fish, such as salmon and mackerel, instead of meat at least twice a week to get a source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Limit sizes to 4 ounces of cooked seafood a serving, and bake or broil seafood instead of frying.
• Use liquid vegetable oil instead of solid fats. For example, saute with olive oil instead of butter, and use canola oil when baking.
• Use olive oil in salad dressings and marinades.
• Use egg substitutes instead of whole eggs when possible.
• Select milk and dairy products that are low in fat.

Canola Oil May Help Manage Type 2 Diabetes Better, St. Michael's Hospital Study

Canola is Canada’s oil and new research from St. Michael's Hospital suggests it should also be one of the oils of choice for people with Type 2 diabetes. 

Dr. David Jenkins, head of the hospital’s Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, compared people with Type 2 diabetes who ate either a low glycemic index diet that included bread made with canola oil, or a whole wheat diet known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

His study, published today in the journal Diabetes Care, found that those on the canola bread diet experienced both a reduction in blood glucose levels and a significant reduction in LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. 

Even more exciting, he said, was the finding that the canola bread diet seemed to have the most significant impact on people who needed help the most – those whose HbA1c test measuring blood glucose over the previous two or three months was highest. 

Dr. Jenkins, who is a professor of both nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toronto, said the reduction in LDL cholesterol observed in his study of 141 people could translate into a 7 per cent reduction in cardiovascular events. He said the benefit could also be translated into an additional 20 mg dose of one of the cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins — a doubling of a standard dose. 

The word canola is a contraction of Canada and ola, meaning oil. It was developed from rapeseed at the University of Manitoba in the 1970s. Canola oil contains only 7 per cent saturated fat, less than half that of olive oil, widely touted for its health benefits. 

Dr. Jenkins said another interesting finding of the study was that patients on the whole wheat diet seemed to have better blood flow after 12 weeks than those on the canola bread diet, as measured by the EndoPat test that uses a cuff on the arm similar to a blood pressure test. He said the significance of that finding was not entirely clear, but this positive result may be an indication of why whole wheat foods have consistently been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Dr. Jenkins and his colleagues developed the concept of the glycemic index in the early 1980s as a way of explaining how different carbohydrates affect blood glucose and to find out which foods were best for people with diabetes. High GI foods — such as white bread, most breakfast cereals, potatoes and rice — produce a large rise in blood glucose and insulin, which may damage eyes, kidneys and heart. The carbohydrates in low GI foods — including pasta, beans, lentils, berries, apples and certain whole grains such as barley and oats – are broken down more slowly so that people get more gentle raises in blood glucose and insulin and so get less tissue damage to eyes and kidneys, etc. 

Other studies have linked low GI diets with a reduction in both diabetes and cardiovascular events, and have shown monounsaturated fats such as canola and olive oil reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Jenkins said the combination of a low GI diet supplemented with canola oil had not been tested before on people with Type 2 diabetes. 

Top 10 Health Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep - Why sleep matters to you

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D.

Sleep, we all love it, especially when you wake up from a great night's sleep. In the past, sleep was often ignored by doctors and surrounded by myths1, but now we are beginning to understand the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being. In fact, when people get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night, their risk for developing diseases begins to increase.


1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease6 and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer
People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

3. Sleep Reduces Stress
When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques11 to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep12.

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation
The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation15 is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.

5. Sleep Makes You More Alert
Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.

6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory
Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight
Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight22, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.

8. Naps Make You Smarter
Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.

9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression
Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.

10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs
Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage

Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Brain Fitness

Brain fitness has basic principles: variety and curiosity. When anything you do becomes second nature, you need to make a change. If you can do the crossword puzzle in your sleep, it's time for you to move on to a new challenge in order to get the best workout for your brain. Curiosity about the world around you, how it works and how you can understand it will keep your brain working fast and efficiently. Use the ideas below to help attain your quest for mental fitness.

 Play Games

Brain fitness programs and games are a wonderful way to tease and challenge your brain. Suduko, crosswords and electronic games can all improve your brain's speed and memory. These games rely on logic, word skills, math and more. These games are also fun. You'll get benefit more by doing these games a little bit every day -- spend 15 minutes or so, not hours.

Meditation

Daily meditation is perhaps the single greatest thing you can do for your mind/body health. Meditation not only relaxes you, it gives your brain a workout. By creating a different mental state, you engage your brain in new and interesting ways while increasing your brain fitness.

Eat for your brain

Your brain needs you to eat healthy fats. Focus on fish oils from wild salmon, nuts such as walnuts, seeds such as flax seed and olive oil. Eat more of these foods and less saturated fats. Eliminate transfats completely from your diet.

Tell Good Stories

Stories are a way that we solidify memories, interpret events and share moments. Practice telling your stories, both new and old, so that they are interesting, compelling and fun. Some basic storytelling techniques will go a long way in keeping people's interest both in you and in what you have to say.

Turn off your television

The average person watches more than 4 hours of television everyday. Television can stand in the way of relationships, life and more. Turn off your TV and spend more time living and exercising your mind and body.

Exercise your body to exercise your brain

Physical exercise is great brain exercise too. By moving your body, your brain has to learn new muscle skills, estimate distance and practice balance. Choose a variety of exercises  to challenge your brain.

Read something different

Books are portable, free from libraries and filled with infinite interesting characters, information and facts. Branch out from familiar reading topics. If you usually read history books, try a contemporary novel. Read foreign authors, the classics and random books. Not only will your brain get a workout by imagining different time periods, cultures and peoples, you will also have interesting stories to tell about your reading, what it makes you think of and the connections you draw between modern life and the words.

Learn a new skill

Learning a new skill works multiple areas of the brain. Your memory comes into play, you learn new movements and you associate things differently. Reading Shakespeare, learning to cook and building an airplane out of toothpicks all will challenge your brain and give you something to think about.

Make simple changes

We love our routines. We have hobbies and pastimes that we could do for hours on end. But the more something is 'second nature,' the less our brains have to work to do it. To really help your brain stay young, challenge it. Change routes to the grocery store, use your opposite hand to open doors and eat dessert first. All this will force your brain to wake up from habits and pay attention again.

Train your brain

Brain training is becoming a trend. There are formal courses, websites and books with programs on how to train your brain to work better and faster. There is some research behind these programs, but the basic principles are memory, visualization and reasoning. Work on these three concepts everyday and your brain will be ready for anything.

http://longevity.about.com/od/mentalfitness/tp/Mental_fitness.htm?nl=1

Brain Nutrition for Mental Fitness and Health

Why Your Brain Needs Fats:

All fats are not created equal. To function well, your brain needs a good supply of essential fatty acids. Since the body cannot produce these fatty acids, you need to get them from food. Researchers think that these fats not only help supply oxygen to the brain, but work to protect the membranes of brain cells, prevent damage that causes dementia, Alzheimer's and other illnesses.

What Should I Eat:

In order to help your brain function best, increase you need to increase your intake of essential fatty acids known as omega-3. These fatty acids are found in fish oils, nuts, and seeds. The traditional diet of the Japanese, for example, is high in fish, which explains why the Japanese have one of the longest life expectancies in the world. You can get your fats from fish (wild salmon), nuts (walnuts), olive oil and seeds (flax seed).

List of superfoods that support heart health

ORANGES are rich in cholesterol-reducing soluble fiber; in potassium, which helps control blood pressure; and in vitamin C.

BEANS provide hearty doses of protein, fiber and minerals. They can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and keep your blood sugar from spiking.

SPINACH AND KALE. These dark, leafy greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. They deliver a lot of nutrients without a lot of calories.

AVOCADOS are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They contain substantial amounts of fiber, potassium, several vitamins and compounds that help lower cholesterol.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is rich in LDL cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fat. It discourages blood from clotting and helps steady blood sugar levels.

NUTS are an excellent source of fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, all known to protect heart health. Nuts lower harmful LDL cholesterol, raise protective HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

SALMON. Fatty fish such as salmon are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. People who eat more fish have a lower risk of dying from heart disease.

BERRIES are packed full of substances that help block plaque from forming inside arteries.

QUINOA (KEEN-wah) is an excellent plant-based source of protein. It also contains plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

DARK CHOCOLATE (70 percent cocoa or higher) is rich in flavonols, which may help lower blood pressure.

Oatmeal  This whole grain is full of soluble fiber, which prevents the body from absorbing cholesterol. Rolled oats are good, but steel-cut oats are even better. Steel-cut oats take longer to digest, which means they have a low glycemic index. Low-glycemic foods are less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar. Over time, long periods of high blood sugar can lead to health problems linked to heart disease, such as obesity and diabetes.

Sleep's memory role discovered

The mechanism by which a good night's sleep improves learning and memory has been discovered by scientists.

The team in China and the US used advanced microscopy to witness new connections between brain cells - synapses - forming during sleep.

Their study, published in the journal Science, showed even intense training could not make up for lost sleep.

Experts said it was an elegant and significant study, which uncovered the mechanisms of memory.

It is well known that sleep plays an important role in memory and learning. But what actually happens inside the brain has been a source of considerable debate.

Researchers at New York University School of Medicine and Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School trained mice in a new skill - walking on top of a rotating rod.

They then looked inside the living brain with a microscope to see what happened when the animals were either sleeping or sleep deprived.

Their study showed that sleeping mice formed significantly more new connections between neurons - they were learning more.

A connection between two brain cells

And by disrupting specific phases of sleep, the research group showed deep or slow-wave sleep was necessary for memory formation.

During this stage, the brain was "replaying" the activity from earlier in the day.

Prof Wen-Biao Gan, from New York University, told the BBC: "Finding out sleep promotes new connections between neurons is new, nobody knew this before.

"We thought sleep helped, but it could have been other causes, and we show it really helps to make connections and that in sleep the brain is not quiet, it is replaying what happened during the day and it seems quite important for making the connections."

Analysis

This is just the latest piece of science to highlight the importance of sleep.

A new reason for sleep was discovered last year when experiments showed the brain used sleep to wash away waste toxins built up during a hard day's thinking.

However, there are concerns that people are not getting enough sleep.

As part of the BBC's Day of the Body Clock, Prof Russell Foster argued that society had become "supremely arrogant" in ignoring the importance of sleep, leading to "serious health problems".

These include:

• cancer
• heart disease
• type-2 diabetes
• infections
• obesity

The reward for more sleep, Prof Foster argues, is we would all be "better human beings."

Tired of Being Tired? Insomnia and Finding Your Sleep

Here are 6 things we’ve found helpful to “find our sleep”.

1. Dim the lights. Research indicates that exposure to light at nighttime suppresses melatonin production which in turn affects sleep. Cell phones, computers, video equipment and alarm clocks emit light. Make your room dark and, if at all possible, avoid the blue light generated by fluorescents, computer and video screens for up to an hour before your bedtime.

2. Avoid stimulants like caffeine and nicotine. Caffeine, is found in more than just coffee and tea- it naturally occurs in over 60 plants and lurks in surprising places including clear sodas, pain relievers, chocolate, ice cream, energy water, and breath fresheners. If you are a smoker, try to avoid smoking 2-3 hours prior to bedtime.

3. Watch what you eat! Pay attention to what you eat and drink before bedtime. A light snack might be beneficial but a full stomach can cause discomfort. This is especially true if you suffer from heartburn, acid reflux or indigestion. And, perhaps more obviously, avoid fluids late at night to limit trips to the bathroom.

4. Exercise! Research shows that regular, moderate physical activity promotes sleep. But, if you are sedentary, be patient- it takes time for a new exercise routine to have a positive impact on sleep. But, don’t exercise within a few hours of bedtime- your body needs time to unwind and relax.

5. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual. Habit helps signal your brain to slow down. Your ritual might include a warm shower, a chapter from a good book, a cup of warm milk and honey and/or soothing music.

6. Manage stress. Easier said then done, but successfully addressing stress improves your overall health including sleep. Read Psych Central’s excellent article on practical ways to handle stress or try one of the Wellness Center’s upcomingmeditation classes.

Older Women Sedentary for Most of Their Day, Study Find

Older women spend two-thirds of their day not moving around, generally getting up every half hour for periods of movement, according to a study designed to help researchers understand patterns of sedentary behavior.

About 32 percent of all sedentary time occurred in blocks of at least 30 minutes, while about 12 percent occurred for at least 60 minutes, according to a research letter published today in the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association.

The study of more than 7,000 women with an average age of 71 is one of the first to quantify how sedentary they are during the day, and future studies will examine what role movement outside of exercise has on health, said Eric Shiroma, the lead study author. The researchers will follow the women to see how sitting or standing in place for many hours each day can affectheart disease, cancer and diabetes risk, he said.

“It’s too early to know a lot of these answers,” Shiroma, a researcher in preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said today in a telephone interview. “I would like to be able to describe to people what an active lifestyle should be outside of just physical activity. There’s a lot of activity we can do without just going to the gym. It’s a far more complex relationship than just your 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day.”

The research released today included participants in the Women’s Health Study who in 2011 joined an additional investigation assessing physical activity using accelerometers. The women were asked to wear the accelerometer for seven days while they were awake.

Sedentary Day

The study showed that women spent about 66 percent of their waking day in sedentary behavior, totaling about 9.7 hours a day.

Future studies may help researchers better understand if recommendations to move every 30 minutes benefit health and whether exercising for a half an hour a day but not moving for many other hours is healthier than not exercising yet spending waking hours in motion, Shiroma said.

“We need to really look more into what it means to be sedentary and active,” he said. “It’s not simply the time in the gym. There is the whole rest of the day out there. We need to be able to do that before we can make recommendations.”

The Women’s Health Study is a U.S. project that began in April 1993 to test the benefits and risks of low-dose aspirin and vitamin E to prevent heart disease and cancer in women, according to the study website. Researchers have culled the data for information about how other issues such as stress and exercise affect women’s health.

8 Nutrients in Food That Boost Winter Immunity

1. Selenium

According to the National Institutes of Health, most people in the U.S. are not at risk for selenium deficiency. It is nutritionally essential in a person’s diet, containing more than two dozen selenoproteins, which are important for reproduction, DNA synthesis, thyroid hormone metabolism, and protection from oxidative damage and infection. The recommended intake of selenium is 55 micrograms. The foods that are highest in selenium are organ meats and seafood. Dairy, muscle meats, and cereals also tend to be good sources of the nutrient. Examples include tuna, halibut, brazil nuts, oatmeal, spinach, milk, and baked beans.

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/

2. Vitamin A

This vitamin is composed of fat-soluble retinoids, like retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and retinyl esters. A key aspect of vitamin A’s functions is its ability to maintain the normal function of organs like the lungs, kidneys, and heart. Adult men need about 900 micrograms, women 700. Vitamin A also regulates cell growth and associations between certain cancers and vitamin A has been observed. When proper levels of vitamin A are not present in a diet, researchers have noticed impaired immunity and a higher risk for infectious diseases. Vitamin A can be found in milk, eggs, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, ricotta cheese, and pistachios are all good sources of vitamin A.

Source: http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-5670451711

3. Vitamin B2

Also known as Riboflavin, this nutrient is important for keeping energy levels up. B2 doesn’t only keep you going, but it also will regulate the other B vitamins necessary for your health. There is a strong relationship between B1, and B2. When you reach proper amounts of B1 in your diet, it can help boost your B2 levels. It is important to keep this in balance with neither too much nor too little. Eating green beans, eggs, asparagus, and eggs are ways to incorporate vitamin B2 into your diet.

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/un_owen/

4. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is the generic name given to six compounds.  It preforms numerous functions in the body, including a healthy, functioning immune system. Adults need between 1.3 and 2 micrograms, depending on age, gender, and other factors. There have been several studies linking B6 deficiency to depressed immune response when a moderate dose was added, the immune functions were restored to proper levels. Foods containing vitamin B6 include bananas, cottage cheese, seedless raisins, and chickpeas.

5. Vitamin C

Although there is no solid support that vitamin C improves the immune system, even if it does not, it is possible the nutrient works in conjunction with others. The research does not indicate that it prevents a cold or the flu, but it may lessen the amount of time you are sick. It is important to regularly eat foods with vitamin C, because adding it after you are already ill does not appear to be beneficial. Vitamin C is necessary to form a protein that is used to make skin, ligaments, blood vessels, and tendons. It also has reparative functions for wounds, bones, and teeth. Most fruits and vegetables will have some amount of vitamin C, but cantaloupe, citruses, strawberries, tomatoes, and winter squash are all rich with the nutrient.

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6. Vitamin D

Researchers are investigating whether the same properties that cause vitamin D respond to the bacterium that causes tuberculosis can also trigger a similar response with other diseases. Vitamin D is also known for its bone-health properties and ability to prevent osteoporosis. More groups are at risk for vitamin D deficiency than other nutrients on the list, including older adults and those with limited sun exposure.

Many people get their vitamin D from sunlight, and not many foods do not naturally contain vitamin D. Those that do are salmon, tuna, cheese, and egg yolks. Fortified milk is an important source of vitamin D for many in the U.S., and breakfast cereals will have the nutrient added as well.

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7. Vitamin E

A number of fat-soluble compounds fall under the vitamin E umbrella. Three surveys have found that most Americans do not meet the daily requirements of vitamin E. Research indicates that when taken at proper levels, it may have anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing properties. Studies show it is at least involved in immune function and metabolic processes. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils all contain vitamin E. Specifically, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower oil, and mango are all sources.

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8. Zinc

When a person does not consume enough zinc, T cells, and other immune cells lose their ability to function as they should. Taking too much zinc also causes problems. In addition to immune system functions, zinc is important for protein synthesis, and would healing. There is no zinc storage system in the body, so it important to get the recommended intake daily. Men need 11 micrograms and women 8. Most Americans get zinc from meat and poultry, but it is also in cashews, yogurt, fortified breakfast cereals, kidney beans, peas, and cheese. Oysters are also incredibly high in zinc.

Growing old vs. aging: The 5 Cs to successful aging

Most of us are aware that people are living longer today. There is, in fact an intense hunger for knowledge on how to successfully age. One of the cornerstones of this philosophy is realizing that you can separate aging (a largely physical process) from growing old (a largely attitudinal process).

Aging reflects the relationship of time on our being. Aging describes, in large part, the state of our body. Old, on the other hand, describes our state of mind.

Look around you and you will see the role spirit and attitude play in relationship to the concept of being old. Do you know any 75 year-olds that act like they’re 35? Do you know any 40 year-olds that act like they’re 80? If you answered “yes” to either question you are affirming the attitudinal and spiritual source of what separates those who are aging from those who are old. This distinction was described by Paul the apostle in his letter toCorinth where he stated, "though our outward man perishes, our inward man is renewed day by day."

There is no denying the effects of time on our bodies. Though we can slow certain physical impacts we cannot prevent them altogether. Hair turns gray or falls out. Skin wrinkles. Senses can begin to dull as can short term memory. As George Burns once quipped, "you know you're getting older when everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work."

Choosing to live an engaged life until the day we die is no accident; it is the purposeful and intentional discipline of those souls who choose to live every day they are living. They are not in denial of the inevitability of death; they simply have chosen to not give it a head start.

Attitude is the rudder that steers our ship in this journey called life. Release the rudder for a single day and you can sense a sort of existential seasickness. Release it for a week and you will drift aimlessly or be tossed upon the rocks. Release it for any longer period and shipwreck is inevitable.

In observing the forever young, forever passionate and forever engaged, I have come across five internal focuses and patterns that constitute what I refer to as the vitamin C's of successful aging because all the words that describe them happen to start with that letter and like vitamin C, provide essential energy to our lives:

• Vitamin C1: Connectivity — Many people disconnect themselves from important social networks when they retire and don’t realize it until it’s too late. Be sure you stay connected to people and places you love and enjoy.
• Vitamin C2: Challenge — Just because you are retired, doesn’t mean you should stop using your brain. Being intellectually challenged literally has the effect of a finger in the dike holding back the degenerative processes leading to both Alzheimer’s and dementia.
• Vitamin C3: Curiosity — Don’t ever stop exploring or asking questions. Curiosity is critical to surviving and thriving, especially if you are retired. Think you’re too old to go back to school or learn a new skill? Think again—being inquisitive can be the difference between getting old and aging.
• Vitamin C4: Creativity — A creative soul looks at the shoreline and sees something new everyday. This might help explain whyB.B. King still tours, and why Peter Druckerwas able to write a business best-seller in his 90s. You may not be a world-class musician or best-selling author, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore your own creativity.
• Vitamin C5: Charity — A woman in her 70s had more money than she could ever hope to spend but no charitable interests. Her financial adviser challenged her to look around her city for places she might like to make a difference. As a result, she had more adrenaline than ever. It doesn’t require money to live charitably — just concern, generosity and discovering the joy of self-transcendence