Health and Fitness: September 2009

10 Things to Do Before You Get Swine Flu

The H1N1 flu, commonly called swine flu, is expected to make many people sick this flu season. And if you're one of them, you're in for some serious at-home time, recovering and sparing other people from your germs. To make that time a little easier on yourself, consider taking these 10 steps now, before you come down with swine flu.
1. Make a backup plan. Let's say you get sick, or you need to take care of someone with swine flu. What's your plan for missing work, college, or school? Do you know your company's flu leave policy? If you're in school, how will you keep up with class work? Ask now, so you're not surprised later.

4 Healthy Habits That Cut Disease Risk

Study Shows People Who Follow 4 Habits Sharply Reduce Risk of Serious Disease: Don't smoke. Get off the sofa and take a walk. Stay away from the junk food. Watch your waistline.

You may have heard the advice before. But did you know that if you follow all four of these healthy habits together, you could decrease your chances of developing some of the most common and deadly chronic diseases by nearly 80%?

Researchers reporting in this month's Archives of Internal Medicine analyzed the health, lifestyles, and diet of 23,513 German adults 35 to 65 years old, starting in the mid-1990s. The study showed that those who had more healthy habits were much less likely to get diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Healthy Hydration

Water is one of the most essential components of the human body. Water regulates the body’s temperature, cushions and protects vital organs and aids the digestive system. Water not only composes 75% of all muscle tissue and about 10% of fatty tissue, but it also acts within each cell to transport nutrients and dispel waste. And, because water composes more than half of the human body, it is impossible to sustain life for more than a week without it.

Healthy Eating For Good Health

VARIETY – BUT NOT TOO MUCH
As there are no food that contain an optimum combination of the required nutrients such as fat, protein, minerals, vitamins, water and fiber, the diet much include the required quantities of the various nutrient groups in order to guarantee optimal provision. Naturally each group contains some foodstuffs, which have a higher rating from the point of view of physiological nourishment, and others, which have a lower rating. So, in the group showing cereals and cereal products, we have a slice of whole meal wheat bread, which is rated higher than a slice of toasted bread made from milled white flour.

Easy Shortcut to Staying Slim and Healthy

Want to curb hunger, strengthen muscles, boost your brainpower and improve mood? All you need to do is spice up your meals. Research shows that shaking things up by adding seasoning to your foods can have tons of health benefits. Plus, you get instant big-time flavor for a few calories and nearly zero fat. Toss spices on your eats and you will.

Health Tip: Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

(HealthDay News) -- Since childhood, lots of people have heard the parental plea to eat their fruits and vegetables.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers this insight on why eating fruits and veggies is so important:

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help prevent chronic diseases, including cancer, research indicates.
Most fruits and vegetables offer great nutritional benefit while contributing little to your daily fat and calorie intake.
At the same time, they help you stay full, helping you to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent excessive weight gain.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in the minerals, vitamins and fiber your body needs.

Top 5 Habits to Increase Longevity

Is it really possible for anyone to live happily to 100? The good news is that your body was designed to be 100 - you just have to get out of the way.

Getting out of the way means taking an honest look at the habits and lifestyle you are living with today. Most of us have developed habits that limit our true health potential.

But don't let these bad habits of the past discourage you - it is never too late to make new choices. What you did in the past can be changed, and your body will respond in kind. What matters is what you do from this moment forward.

Top 10 secrets to a Healthier Heart

They all help cut your risk of heart disease, the top cause of death among people.

At least 40 to 50 people die of heart related ailments every hour in the country. And at least 15 to 20 million men and women suffer from some of heart disease or the other. The good news: It's also true that preventing heart problems is getting easier. Here, we gathered the latest tricks – all backed by solid research – to take care of your heart.

About the Acai Berry

The acai berry (ah-sigh-ee) grows in the Amazon Rainforest on acai palm trees and looks like a purple marble or purple grape. The Acaí berry (fruit) is 90% seed pit and 10% acaí pulp and must be carefully handled before it can be consumed. During the process the acaí berries with water are put into a machine and are agitated against one another. This process separates the acaí pulp from the seed to produce a thick acaí fruit pulp puree.

Acaí berry has a unique tropical fruit flavor and provides a high level nutritional benefits. The acaí berry contains high levels of antioxidants also known as anthocyanins. It also contains Omega Fatty Acids (healthy fats), Amino Acids, Fiber, Iron, along with many other vitamins and minerals (Nutritional Value of the Acai Berry and Acai Berry Juice). An amazonian traditional recipe mixes acaí fruit pulp and natural guarana seed, which gives energy and heighten mental clarity that has caffeine like effects when combined with guarana.