Americans bought $3 billion worth
of exercise equipment in 1997, including treadmills, multi-station home gyms,
stationary bicycles, free weights, cross country ski machines and elliptical
machines. (It’s great we're getting the gear, however, many people buy too
quickly and without understanding why they're buying equipment or if it’s the
best-suited equipment for their goals. Which is probably why 75% of that $3
billion of equipment becomes clothes hangers. Keep in mind, no single piece of
equipment can offer a balanced, total workout that includes improving
cardiovascular strength and muscle flexibility--all three elements of a good
program.)
The FDA is allowing for products
formerly labeled as ice milk to now be labeled as .reduced-fat or low-fat ice
cream. To qualify a product must contain 25% less fat than the same brands
regular ice cream. So, while it's lower fat, it may or may not be low fat. Take
a look at your labels and make an enlightened decision.
The average American watches more
than 4 hours of TV daily, according to Nielson ratings.
The health benefits of physical
activity and corresponding risks to inactivity are numerous. Poor diet and lack
of physical activity are associated with at least 300,000 deaths a year in the
US, yet, 60% of Americans are less active than they should be.
3 HoHos, 11 strips of bacon or
two pork loin chops have approximately the same amount of artery clogging
calories.
One of the best sources for
objective nutritional information is the Center for Science In The Public
Interest. You can get access to their articles, press releases, kids page,
quizzes and tips by looking on the world wide web at http://www, cspinet org. or
call (202) 332-9110 x393.
Tobacco smoke contains more than
4,000 substances - 43 of which are known to cause cancer.
Walking burns about the same
number of calories per mile as does running.
The average walking pace is 3
miles per hour. That is the pace the US Army sets for long distance hikes.
A plain cake donut has 262
(empty) calories and 18 grams (or approximately 4 teaspoons) of fat.
Stay on top of doctor and dentist
visits: a baseline check enables changes in your health to be noticed earlier.
Here’s an eye-opener:
based upon recent studies measuring fitness level (particularly aerobic
fitness), an 'active 65-year-old can function like an active 45-year-old. Sounds
good to me! What doesn't sound good is that unfit people start to develop
limitations 20-25 years earlier than more fit people. When you hear about
"getting more active," that doesn't mean you need to start training
for 10k runs. Research continues to verify that accumulated activity is what
counts. Walk more often, avoid elevators, do your own gardening or landscaping,
walk up and down the soccer field with your child or grandchild. If you walk
about two miles a day (about 25-35 minutes) for five days a week, you could burn
1,000 extra calories a week (based on a 150-to 160-pound person--a bit more
calories are burned if you're heavier and less if you're lighter).
What's the safest food you can
eat to help prevent diarrhea? Yogurt. It's safe because it doesn't harbor the
bugs that cause diarrhea. It also may help you recover faster from bouts of it.
The bacterial cultures in yogurt produce lactic acid. in the intestine. This
makes the intestine more acidic, inhibiting the ability of infectious bacteria
to survive and thrive. Hint: Get low-fat yogurts. 1-1/2% milkfat and watch the
sugar content. Old Home and Gammont make great yogurts.
Americans are becoming menaces --
to themselves and others --because they don't get enough sleep. "They
sleep in class, at work, and behind the wheel. The first can get you bad grades;
the other two can get you killed." In the last half century, Americans have
reduced their average night' s sleep by 20%.
The American Institute for Cancer
Research Newsletter for May 1984 said, "The top researchers in the field of
diet and cancer say that a major portion -- 40%, 50%, 60% -- of all cancer
deaths in the country could be avoided with proper changes in the diet!
Consumer specialist Bernice
Kanner writes in "Are You Normal?" that 32% of Americans can't snap
their fingers, three out of 10 can't raise one eyebrow, one in four is capable
of crossing his eyes on demand, 13.2 percent can wiggle their ears (I'm not one
of them) and only one in 10 is lucky enough to be able to touch the tip of his
own nose with his tongue. Doing the research for this book must have been fun!
