Have you ever heard a woman classify herself as an “apple” or a “pear” based on her body shape? This classification is based on waist circumference, or in other words, the area of the body where the woman stores her fat. Generally speaking, “apples” store fat above the waist and “pears” store fat below the waist. Changes in weight circumference over time indicate either an increase or a decrease in abdominal fat, which has a direct link to heart disease. To correctly determine your waist circumference, locate the upper hip bone and place a measuring tape around the abdomen, being careful to make sure the tape is horizontal. The tape measure should be snug but should not cause compressions on the skin. The goal for women is to measure less than 35 inches and for men less than 40 inches.
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Working in the healthcare field has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. As I am rapidly approaching the end of my senior year of college, this dream is becoming a reality now more than ever. My name is Kimberly and I am a senior in college, double majoring in Allied Health Sciences and Nutrition/Wellness. I will be attending nursing school next year to become a registered nurse. I hope to start my career in the emergency room and then move to labor and delivery.
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Many adults approaching the elderly stage of their life face the risk of developing dementia, or some form of memory loss. 5-8% of people at the age of 65 or older are affected by dementia, and 25-50% of those who are 85 and older are affected. How should you start the process of reducing their chances of being threatened by this disease? There are several things you can change with lifestyle in order to keep yourself from being a statistic.
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Recently more people have been informed that whole wheat bread is better for you then white. Unfortunately many people don’t know exactly why, but are still willing to jump on the bandwagon to eat healthier, as it has become a big concern all over the world. Here are some quick facts to let you know why choosing whole wheat over white bread will provide you with more benefits:
- There is a big difference in the amount of fiber, calcium, and other vitamins whole wheat contains that white breads are lacking.
- It is a great source of complex carbohydrates
- Grains should be an essential part to everyone’s diet
- High fiber diets are recommended to almost everyone
- Fact that white breads contain more calcium is now irrelevant since whole wheat breads are calcium fortified
- Consuming whole wheat regularly helps with weight loss and managing weight.
- Whole wheat is heart healthy
- Diabetics benefit from adding whole wheat to their diet
- Tips for adding whole grains to your diet:
- Don’t be fooled by labels saying “nine-grain”, “multi-grain”, or “wheat”. More often then not they are white breads in disguise, it MUST SAY “WHOLE WHEAT”
- You can also add other grains to your diet rather then just the bread source of whole wheat: brown rice, wild rice, oats, popcorn, barely, whole wheat pasta, millet, quinoa, and certain granola.
By Nikki, RMH Heart Check intern
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
http://www.healthcastle.com/whole-grains.shtml
Strong bones are an important asset to anyone who wants to maintain a healthy body and active lifestyle. By having strong bones you prevent osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become brittle and break easily. Although osteoporosis is a disease mainly found in the elderly it is never too early to start prevention. Most everyone’s bone mass goes through a period of rapid development from the ages 10-20 and hits a peak by the age of 30. To maintain and build strong bones relies on having enough vitamin C and D while participating in regular physical activity. Calcium is vital for your body to maintain bone health. In the body 99% of calcium that is digested goes to the bones. The remaining 1% is circulated in the bloodstream. This 1% of calcium in the bloodstream helps contract muscles and regulate heart contractions. It also serves as supporting functions such as nerve impulses and blood clotting.
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Uncategorized | Maria Hostetter | 
March 28, 2011 11:37 am | 
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