Imagine
there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries
over no balance from day to day. Every evening it deletes whatever part of
the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out
every cent, of course!
Each of us has such a bank- Its name is TIME. every morning, it credits you with 86, 400 seconds - Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose- It carries over no balance. it allows no overdraft- Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits. the loss is yours. There IS no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow” - You must live the utmost in health, happiness. and success! The clock is running - make the most of today.
The 5 Meals-A-Day
Healthy Eating Plan!
Now, you may be asking yourself how eating 5 times a day could possibly be good for you! This eating plan, of course, consists of good, healthy foods along with goods habits- you cannot eat pizza 5 times per day to be a lean, mean working machine. The only thing you would be is a big blob of blubber! Foods high in carbohydrates, like pizza, drag you down, bloat you and deplete your energy. It is time for you to change your habits and start eating light and healthy.
Your first step to change your lifestyle
and your eating habits is to start the day with a good healthy breakfast.
Your body needs source of protein and carbohydrate at breakfast. (see examples
at end of page for recipe ideas). Continue your day eating a good source of
protein, carbohydrates and some fats every 3-4 hours. Do not let your body
go more than 4 hours without food as you may slow down your metabolism.. What
we are working towards is to raise your metabolic rate so you can burn calories
all day long. Drink plenty of water before and after meals and throughout
the day to curb your appetite. You want to flush out any toxins and excess
fat in your body.
Try to plan your meals with the foods
you enjoy. If you do not like tuna, do not force yourself to eat it. You will
never stay consistent if you are dreading what you have to eat. Eat your meals
slowly while sitting down. Too many of us eat on the run, standing in the
kitchen or in the car. We do not give our bodies the chance to tell our brains
we are satisfied and as you know, if you are not satisfied, you might over
eat.
There are going to be days that you might
“fall off the band wagon.” For example, you might eat a high fat meal or over
eat at dinner. If this happens, do not give up- just get right back on your
eating plan the next day and your body will not be affected. If you thrown
in the towel, that is where you get into trouble. If you make a mistake at
work, you don’t just quit your job - you correct it and move forward. Remember,
quitters never win and winners never quit.
Here are some tips to follow if body fat
loss is your goal:
*
have your food steamed, baked, broiled or roasted.
*
eliminate any rich, thick sauces and soups such as bemaise, hollandaise,
aifredos and
sauces (marinara is a better
choice).
*
remove skin and fat from chicken.
*
eliminate butter all together.
*
eat smaller portions- more often- never stuff yourself.
*
share dessert- do not eat the whole thing by yourself
*
learn to just have a taste- if it is a food you cannot resist, stay
away from
it all together.
*
chew gum while baking- especially during the holidays.
*
ask for your salad dressing on the side- dip your fork in for taste.
*
Don”t go out to dinner starved- this will lead you to over eat.
Dining Out: Making
Better Choices.
Now-a-days with all the talk about losing weight, eating too much fat or not enough protein, many restaurants have began gearing their menus toward a healthier way of eating. More people are becoming conscious about what they eat; therefore, finding items on the menus of their favorite restaurants is no longer difficult. Most restaurants will prepare foods the way you request without giving you an unwanted response like “What, no butter on your potato,” It won’t taste very good.” Many chefs nowadays have made substitutions in their cooking to keep the taste in their dishes.
avoid and how to order to stay in your eating plan:
MEXICAN
Two very popular dishes when going out
for Mexican food are chili rellenos and cheese enchiladas. These dishes
should no longer be on your list if you want to eat healthy and not blow
your eating plan. You would wind up getting more fat grams in that one meal
than you are allowed all day. The main items to avoid at a Mexican Restaurant
are: cheese, sour cream, avocado, flour tortillas, refried beans and the
fried tortilla chips. if you know where you are going in advance, you can
bring some baked chips along with you or ask the waitress for steamed corn
tortillas to dip into the salsa. Most salsa is fine to eat, but avoid the
chili con queso dip as an appetizer (its loaded with fat). Remember, it’s
not just the fat by itself you want to avoid, it is the fat with the carbohydrates.
Here is a comparison of good choices vs. bad choices:
TYPICAL MEAL:
Chili con queso/chips
Chili Rellenos
Reified Beans
Mexican rice (with lard)
Gold Margarita
BETTER CHOICE:
Salsa with corn tortillas (steamed)
Chicken Fajitas- use corn tortillas or
1 flour tortilla (if you can’t resist) Lettuce & tomato
Black beans
Mexican Rice (if no lard is used)
Lite Margarita
CHINESE
Beyond the contrary belief, Chinese food
can be very healthy eating if you know how to order. Of course, just like
many other types of food preparations, Chinese food is prepared with many
types of oils. Some favorite Chinese dishes are battered and fried. Fried
rice, egg rolls and Szechwan dishes with peanuts and almonds are extremely
high in fat. The Chinese use steamed white rice and many vegetables in their
dishes, so take advantage of these items. Here is an example of a popular
meal versus what you should try next time:
Dining Out: Making Better Choices.
TYPICAL MEAL:
Egg drop soup
Egg roll
Fried rice
Kung Pao chicken
BETTER CHOICE:
Skip the soup- too high in sodium
Steamed vegetable dumplings
Steamed rice
Steamed Shrimp or chicken with ginger sauce on the side
Steamed vegetables
ITALIAN
Now, this one may be your hardest meal to avoid the fat and high carbohydrates
to keep your intake in balance. Your foods to avoid at Italian restaurants
are cheese, sausage, high fat ground beef and cream sauces. The famous fettuccine
Alfredo is loaded with fat. Remember, just ordering pasta with marinara sauce
(no protein) is a very high carbohydrate meal- usually 80-100 grams in the
meal. If you want to keep your carbohydrate intake low and still get satisfied,
order like this:
TYPICAL MEAL:
Fettuccine Alfredo
Garlic bread
Salad with heavy oil dressing
Red Wine
BETTER CHOICE:
Shrimp or scallops with angel hair pasta- marinara sauce
1 piece of bread (no garlic butter)
Salad - green and tomatoes w/ red wine & vinegar dressing
White wine spritzer
BLOOD
PRESSURE,
"THE SILENT KILLER" YOU CAN STOP IT DEAD IN ITS TRACKS
Arterial blood pressure is the result of the cardiac output
times the resistance the blood encounters while it flows. Blood pressure is defined in terms
of systolic and diastolic pressure.
Systolic is the maximum pressure produced in the arteries by each heart
beat. Diastolic pressure is the
constant pressure maintained in the arteries between heart beats.
Systolic is the most important as this is where the heart maintains a majority of the time during the
cardiac cycle, thus it is very important that it is not high.
In my own study I found my wife, Deborah to have a 110/65
reading for her blood pressure which is actually very low. My blood pressure is 120/75. Both of these ranges are very good
to excellent for people of our age and background. Readings that would be considered
excellent are 120/80, readings that are good would read 120/74-76, a fair
reading would be 140/90, this is borderline. Readings with the diastolic pressure
over 90 and especially above 100 are very dangerous.
In regards to the heart an alarming statistic is that 60%
of Americans do not exercise and that 80-90% are not involved in a regular
exercise program. The big surprise
in this is the lack of understanding of the benefits derived from cardiovascular
fitness. Some of the things cardiovascular
fitness will aid in are as follows, muscular endurance, increased energy,
reduced risk of coronary artery disease, it aids in weight control, it lowers
cholesterol levels and can also help with a persons sense of well being and
self-esteem. Exercise and lowering of blood pressure
has also been associated with helping in certain types of cancer as well as
other medical problems.
Improving cardiovascular fitness will help in relieving the
heart of much undo pressure. Some
of the startling statistics that most people would be quite shocked to hear
are as follows. As the heart
becomes more conditioned through aerobic as well as resistance training the
heart rate actually lowers which means it is beating fewer beats per day with
more efficiency. The average person has a resting
heart rate of 75-80. There are world class athletes, especially oxidative
(aerobic) athletes that have been shown to have resting heart rates of less
than 38. Most conditioned athletes
have resting heart rates that are below 60 beats per minute. If your heart beats 60 times per
minute times 24 hours per day,
your heart beats 86,400 beats per day. If your heart beats 80 beats per
minute 24 hours a day your heart
beats 115,200 beats per day. This
means that even at complete rest a deconditioned man who does not exercise
has 30,000 heart beats more per day than a conditioned person.
The two main factors that determine your hearts health are the health
of the tissue itself and the number of times it beats during rest or exercise.
Some of the statistics on high blood pressure are stunning.
Studies show that 51%
of people with high blood pressure are not in therapy with exercise or drugs,
28% of these people are on inadequate
therapy, and 21% are on adequate therapy.
Exercise also reduces maximum heart rates. Healthy hearts max out at approximately
190 beats per minute or less while poorly conditioned hearts may go as high
as 220 beats or more during high activity which is extremely dangerous.
Treadmill tests have shown that a conditioned heart can actually do twice
as much work, run twice as fast or twice as long safely, while deconditioned
hearts at lower rates are at greater risk. Highly conditioned athletes have
been pushed to complete exhaustion without ever exceeding 165 - 170 beats per
minute which is very healthy and very low risk for having any problems.
Training also strengths the heart so that it can hold maximum rates for
longer periods of time. Some cross
country skiers have been known to hold heart rates of 170 for as long as 2 ½ hours. A conditioned heart also responds
much better to high stress or shocking situations that could cause rapid heart
beat by allowing the heart rate to jump up to unhealthy levels.
There are many factors that control blood pressure, some controllable,
some not. The uncontrollable factors
are age- older people are more prone to high blood pressure, race- blacks are
more prone even at younger ages, heredity- if you have a history in your family
of high blood pressure, and sex- males are more prone then women to high blood
pressure. The controllable factors are obesity-
which has a direct link to high blood pressure, sodium intake- reduce your sodium
intake, alcohol - lower alcohol consumption, oral contraceptives- they have
been linked to high blood pressure, and a main part of this is lack of exercise
which plays an major roll in the health of your heart.
In conclusion for myself as well as my wife the condition
we have achieved over the many years of the fitness lifestyle have paid off
immensely. The amount of stress
that is relieved for us during training has made a difference in our lives.
The fitness lifestyle assures us that we will be able to cope with anything
that comes our way. We know that
our fight or flight system is always under our control and we are not at the
mercy of external situations. We
know that our internal and external conditioning will render us ready
to take on the days in a positive and passionate way without the worry
of sickness and disease.
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”
Cholesterol:
The Good, Bad and the Confusing.
All of us are familiar with that confusing
print-out you get from your doctor about your blood work and then your doctor
says your cholesterol total is too high. This can be very confusing and even
alarming at the same time. Unfortunately, that total number does not tell you
exactly what is going on with your cholesterol. Many factors come into play
when determining if you are at risk or not.
Cholesterol is a natural fat found in
your body and is necessary for producing certain hormones and for building cell
walls. Of course, you have heard that “high cholesterol” is very dangerous and
can ultimately lead to heart disease. However, you should know exactly what
your good cholesterol (HI)L) and your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels are. Just
because your total is 200 or slightly above does not mean you have a cholesterol
problem. There are other factors to consider:
* Heredity
* Nutrition
* Exercise
* Body Weight
Exercise raises the “good” cholesterol
in your body, while eating a heart healthy diet can lower your “bad” cholesterol;
therefore, your total numbers could be effected.
The guidelines you should follow are:
| LDL | HDL | TOTAL | |
| High | above 159 | less than 35 | above 239 |
| Medium | 130-159 | n/a | 200-239 |
| Average | below 130 | above 60 | below |
If you look at the chart and you want
your results to be average or desirable but your chart reads in the med. -high
range, you need to make some changes in your lifestyle. Here are a few things
you might want to do:
1) Start
a more intense work out program- increasing your cardiovascular work helps
to raise the HDL’s and lowers your body weight.
2) Reduce the fat in your meals by eliminating
butter, high-fat meats like sausage
and bacon, cheese, whole milk and oils.
3) Limit your packaged products.
4)
Reduce cholesterol causing foods like egg yolks, pre-made cakes, cookies, muffins
and fried foods.
The
Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Lean Tissue.
There are many theories out there about
aerobic or cardiovascular exercise breaking down the lean tissue in the body.
Aerobic exercise (exercise w/oxygen) should be a vital part of your regular
fitness program. You are not only burning calories but you are using the most
important muscle in your body - the heart.
As your heart is pumping blood throughout
the body you are increasing the amount of oxygen and the size of the blood vessels
in your body. These blood vessels supply oxygen to the tissues including your
muscles. The oxygen also carries out waste products to help with recovery and
growth of tissue.
What type of cardiovascular activity is
best for you and your goals? Running, jogging and jumping rope are all examples
of higher impact aerobics and may tend to break down muscle tissue, burn more
calories and with the presence of an improper nutrition program may lead to
muscle loss. Walking, cycling and stair climbing are examples of non-impact
to low impact cardiovascular activities that will potentially minimize the breakdown
of muscle tissue.
Determining what your ultimate goals are,
whether overall weight loss, body fat loss or gaining lean body mass, will help
you determine what type of cardiovascular exercise is best for you to reach
your goals. It is very important to choose a type of exercise you will enjoy
and will not cause boredom. Cardiovascular exercise must be performed for no
less than 20 minutes. A slow, steady and long duration program will achieve
greater fat loss results when done on a consistent basis.
One tip to achieving faster results is
to complete your aerobic activity first thing in the morning prior to breakfast
with plenty of water. Since your body has been burning calories during the nights
sleep, body fat will be utilized as energy in the absence of glycogen in the
blood stream.
In conclusion, the muscle tissue in your
body is vitally important for longevity and ultimate weight control. By incorporating
a regular weight training and cardiovascular exercise program in your daily
routine, you can add years to your life and life to your years.
How to Read and Understand Food Labels.
In the local grocery stores, you can usually
find many manufacturers of the same type of food- especially the boxed cereal
isle where Kelloggs, Post and other brands are competing everyday with who
has the healthiest, lowest sugar cereal on the market. Unfortunately, many
manufacturers have forgotten about the consumer and have led them down the
deception isle.
The first thing to be aware of on a food
label is the serving size- All the other specification like calories, fat,
sodium, etc. are based of the serving size. OF course, you can get only 1-2
grams of fat in some products if the serving size is the size of a quarter.
We know good and well that many of us will eat 34 times that amount and in
crease our fat to about 8-10 grams per serving. Depending on the other ingredients
and what the food is, this could be a lot of fat for one serving.
The calories listed are for the serving
size only- not the entire package. Of course, some items may say serving size:
1 bar or 2 - 1” pieces. Please be aware that the serving size is very important
for you to determine how many calories are in that meal.
Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are listed by the weight in grams. For example, 5 grams of protein in one serving would have 20 calories for that serving:
| 1 gram of protein = | 4 calories |
| 1 gram of carbohydrates = | 4 calories |
| 1 gram of fat = | 9 cal |
The sodium on the food labels is something
most people forget to look at. Unfortunately, many packaged products are loaded
with sodium. Too much sodium in the diet can lead to water retention and possibly
hypertension in some extreme cases. Be aware of a single serving size of sodium
with 300 milligrams and above. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is 2400
milligrams per day. This can be high if you are trying to lose weight or need
to watch your blood pressure. One tablespoon of soy sauce has 2000 milligrams
alone. Can you image how much sodium you intake after one dinner out for Chinese
food.
Ingredients on the food label are listed
in order of their weight per serving. For example, an item with high-fructose
corn syrup as the first ingredient is going to be a high-sugar, high carbohydrate
food, You would then want to look at the sugar content on the label and make
sure the serving is less that 20 grams. If it is above that, be careful- sugar
turns to fat if not used.
The fat content of food is usually broken
down into total fat and saturated fat. The saturated fat, the fat from animal
products, is what you need to stay away from. Good sources of fats are olive
oil, peanut butter, avocados an almonds (not almond butter).
Remember, when reading a food label, there
are many ways for a manufacture to list fats and sugars. Here are a few examples:
| FATS: | SUGARS: |
| triglycerides | fructose |
| lard | lactose |
| oil (coconut, safflower) | maltose |
| hydrogenated vegetable shortening | dextrose |
| lecithin | sucrose |
| palm kernel oil | corn syrup |
How to Read and Understand Food Labels.
To determine the fat content in calories of a particular food, here is
an example:
1 serving of Jiff peanut butter = 2 TBSP calories = 190 fat 16 grams
16 X 9 = 144 calories in fat.
In conclusion, do not be a victim of all
the manufacture hype out there!! All the lowfat, low sodium and fat-free products
are causing consumers to add unwanted pounds to their bodies. Just because it
says “FAT-FREE” does not mean that it is good for you. You still have to burn
more calories than you take in to lose body fat.
The Protein With
Tales and Scales
How often do you see an over weight Asian?
Not very often- If so, they usually have been corrupted by our high-fat American
diet consisting of hot dogs, hamburgers and fries!! The reason for the Asians
staying very healthy and thin is that their staple diet is primarily fish and
rice. The key here is the omega-3 oils found in fish. It has also been said
that omega-3 fatty acids help prevent blood clots which in turn contribute to
heart disease.
A test was taken by M.L. Burr of the Medical
Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cardiff, Wales (1) of middle-aged men
who had already experienced a heart attack Their fat intake was cut by 30%,
their fiber was increased by 18 grams per day and 2 weekly portions of 7-14
oz. of fatty fish were given. Unfortunately, some could not tolerate the fish
and took capsules which contained 500 milligrams of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
Two years passed and the death rate of the fish eaters dropped 29% over the
non-fish eaters. We can see now why the heart attack rate between 1950-1980
has been extremely low in Greenland and Japan.
What we are seeing here is the omega-3
fatty acids are definitely preventing the arteries from clogging and in turn
are lowering heart disease. Now, many people will choose to take the EPA in
a pill form instead of using fish as a source of good protein in their diet.
What this will do is allow them to continue to eat their high fat, heart attack
causing foods. What we want to see is a shift in people eating more fish as
their protein and eliminating the high-fat meats. Of course, we do not mean
you can have your fish with a bearnaise cream sauce on top. Remember, the sauces
and dressings can sometimes be worst than the food itself Stick to baking, broiling
or grilling your fish and demand at restaurants that they prepare your food
just the way you like- no butter, and the sauce on the side. Hey, if you decide
fish is for you, sushi might be right up your alley!!
Here are a few of your more well known
fishes that will give you a good source of omega-3 fatty acids:
| * trout | * mackerel |
| * salmon | * sardines |
| * herring | * catfish |
Eat two servings a week (7-14 ounces)
to help keep your blood from clotting and eventually eliminate problems with
your arteries.
Protein: Are We Getting Enough?
“At conservative Tufts University, Dr. William Evans and colleagues, at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center, have shown that men who regularly exercise with the endurance sports of running, cycling, or swimming require more protein than the RDA.” (2). For serious weight training individuals and athletes who incorporate a large amount of aerobic exercise into their daily routine, protein quantities are very important. The amount of protein needed is higher due to a large amount of amino acids being burned during cardiovascular workouts. This usually occurs after all carbohydrates have been used up. Most athletes and serious weight trainers have lowered their carbohydrates to obtain a leaner, more muscular body. Remember, constant fluid intake is very important to your body no matter what your intake is of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
According to the book Protein Power, by Michael and Mary Ann Eades, M.D., a person needs to consider how much LBM (lean body mass- see bottom of page for formula) one has and how active one is to determine the amount of protein needed to maintain their current physique.
Here are the guidelines specified in the book Protein Power:
1. Sedentary
- no physical activity - 0.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass is
needed.
2. Moderately Active - exercise 20-30 minute, 3 times per week-
0.6 grams of protein per
pound of lean body mass is needed.
3. Active - exercise more than 30 minutes, 3-5
times per week- 0.7 grams of protein
per
pound of lean body mass is needed.
4. Very
Active - vigorous physical activity lasting an
hour or more five or more times per
week- 0.8 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass
is needed.
5. Athlete-
competitive athlete in training, performing twice-daily heavy physical workouts
for an hour or more- 0.9 grams of lean body mass per
pound of lean body mass is
needed.
Here is an example using the
above numbers: Active individual with a LBM of 120:
120 X 0.7 = 84 grams of protein
needed per day.
*information
taken from the book Protein Power, Drs. Michael and Mary Ann Eades, New York
New York~ 1996.
Protein: Are We Getting Enough?
Please remember that the activity described above is exercise that is consistent for the time listed. Running up and down the stairs to answer your phone or to put away laundry is not considered aerobic exercise. Here is the formula for determining your LBM (lean body mass):
Your weight X current body fat percentage
= pounds of fat on your body
124
X
15%(.15)
= 18.75
Your weight - your pounds of body fat
= LBM
124
-
18.75
= 105 LBM
As you can see, determining how much protein is enough is a very difficult question to answer unless you know all the details about yourself However, it is very important to follow the steps so that you can obtain the body and the lifestyle you deserve.
*(1) Met-Rx engineered Nutrition Owner’s
Manual 201- pg. 27, Met-Rx USA. 1996.
*(2) Colgan, Dr. Michael, Optimum Sports
Nutrition, Ronkonkoma, NY, 1993.
Weight Training
and Fat Burning.
Incorporating weight training in your
regular exercise program can help burn unwanted fat pounds for two reasons.
One is the muscle fiber and a second reason is an increase in your metabolic
rate. Weight training, or as some refer to as strength training, should be performed
a least 3 times per week. Although a personal trainer can help prescribe the
best program for you, as a general rule it is recommended that a minimum of
one set per exercise for each major muscle group is performed. The major muscle
groups are quadriceps, hamstrings, low back, upper back, abdominals, chest,
biceps, triceps, shoulders and neck. Each exercise should consist of 8-12 repetitions,
done in a slow, controlled manner. The resistance should provide fatigue to
the muscle group by the end of the repetitions.
Muscle fiber is the basic element of the
muscle. These are the three types of muscle fiber: slow twitch (slow oxidating
(SO) or type I), fast twitch (Fast oxidative - glycolyme (FOG) or type 11A)
and pure fast twitch (FT to Type IIB). Slow twitch fibers get most of their
energy from fat burning, a process that requires oxygen. This is also fueled
by the fibers ample supply of blood vessels, glycogen, mitochondria (cellular
furnaces where fat and nutrients are burned). and the blood fats inside of various
related cells. Pure fast twitch fibers are different in that they contract rapidly
but fatigue easier. These fibers get their energy from burning glycogen. There
are fewer mitochondria in the cells that makeup fast twitch fiber; therefore,
these fibers burn less fat than slow twitch fibers.
The fast twitch fibers also contract quickly,
but sustain more endurance. This may be because they have more mitochondria
than the pure fast twitch but less than the slow twitch fiber. The most interesting
benefit of high intensity weight training (or long duration aerobics) is that
you can change pure fast twitch fibers into regular fast twitch oxidative fibers.
This type of high intensity weight training activity increases the amount of
mitochondria in the fast twitch fibers to levels higher than these found in
the slow twitch fibers. With more mitochondria present in the muscle cells,
the more fat is burned.
Metabolism and the rate in which it functions
represents the amount of energy you need on a daily basis to sustain your life.
Even when resting or sleeping, muscle tissue is very active and it requires
up to 45 calories per pound per day. Consequently, losing muscle (muscle atrophy)
results in a reduction in your metabolic rate. With less muscle, your body requires
lower energy. Food once used as energy is now stored as fat. A sensible, long
term and regular weight training program is the best in avoiding a decrease
in lean muscle mass and metabolic rate.
Beginning a regular weight training program
can take some effort. No matter what your age, weight training will fuel a lasting
lifestyle and keep longevity & functionality to your life.
The
Effects of Diet and Exercise on Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects more women who smoke,
have small bones, post-menopausal or who are “under-weight.” Osteoporosis is
the loss of bone density and requires proper treatment. The first, and most
obvious treatment is to choose weight-bearing activities such as weight training
or aerobic exercises with small hand weights. Many women are afraid of building
large, bulky muscles. This cannot happen unless a large quantity of food is
taken in along with extremely heavy weight training. If you choose to begin
weight training as a source to increase bone density, find a qualified professional
in your area to take you through some overall body workouts. First time weight
lifters can cause serious injury if the movements are not performed correctly.
Next, increase the amount of calcium you are intaking. Many doctors
will recommend that women over the age of 35 should take a calcium supplement
even if they exercise on a regular basis. Your body will take what it needs
from the supplement and urinate out the rest. Women after menopause may want
to consider estrogen therapy. Lower estrogen levels can cause a decrease in
bone density. There is a concern for women who have irregular menstrual cycles
because their bodies might not be producing enough estrogen. If this is your
problem, consult your physician.
Here are some food sources to increase
the calcium in your diet:
| * skim milk | * shrimp |
| * buttermilk | * sardines |
| * low-fat yogurt | * oysters |
| * frozen yogurt | * broccoli |
| * 2% cottage cheese | * parmesan cheese |
Be sure to read the hand-out called “The 5 time per day healthy eating
plan” to get an idea of how you should structure your day. Add in the necessary
foods listed above to make sure you are getting enough of the calcium you need.
Last but not least, if you smoke- quit! Nicotine in cigarettes is a contributing factor in bone density depletion. Also, smoking hinders exercise, which is needed to increase bone mass and of course deteriorates your most important muscle- your heart.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium (6 to 8 ounces total) boned skinless
chicken breast halves
I small apple or pear, cored (6 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Muenster or cheddar cheese
(1 ounce)
1/4 cup apple juice or orange juice
2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
DIRECTIONS
Rinse chicken; pat dry. Pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Chop half of the
apple; slice the other half. Divide chopped apple and cheese evenly between
chicken pieces. Roll up, folding in sides to enclose filling. Secure with wooden
toothpicks, if necessary.
Arrange rolls, seam side down, in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of the fruit juice to dish. Cover with vented microwave-safe plastic wrap.
Cook on 100% power (high) for 2 minutes. Rearrange chicken; add sliced apple. Cover and cook for 2 to 4 minutes more or till chicken is tender and no longer pink. Place chicken and apple slices on serving plates; cover to keep warm.
For sauce in a 1 -cup measure combine cornstarch, remaining fruit juice, green onion, and bouillon granules. Stir in cooking liquid. Cook, uncovered, on high for 2 to 3 minutes or till thickened and bubbly, stirring after every 30 seconds. Spoon sauce over chicken rolls.
Makes 2 servings.
Calories: 247/serving
TIME
Preparation. Time: 15 mm.
Cooking Time: 6 mm.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:
30g protein
14g carbohydrate
8g fat
86mg cholesterol
323mg sodium
355mg potassium