YzFit

People who exercise outdoors could have impaired lung function due to pollution. A report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine stated that even young, healthy non-smokers that exercise outdoors are at risk for poor lung functioning. Impaired lung function can occur even when ozone pollution is at levels that are considered safe according to the clean-air laws. There are many kinds of pollutants: ozone, particulates, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and lead. Dr. Dennis Ownby, chief of allergy-immunology at the Medical College of Georgia says that it’s difficult to separate how each of these pollutants negatively impact the human body, because they all cause lung damage, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease and kill protective cells in the body. Constant exposure to pollutants eventually wears the body down and it loses its ability to fight back and protect the body. People who already have heart or lung problems are especially susceptible to polluted air. The cities that were the most polluted with ozone were:
• Washington, D.C.
• Richmond, VA
• Chattanooga, TN
• Charlotte, NC
Don’t use this as an excuse not to exercise, though. Ozone levels peak between 2 and 7 p.m., so schedule your outdoor activities, including exercise at the beginning and end of the day.
photo credit: bogenfreund

A recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that vinegar may help to keep your body from storing extra fat by breaking it down before it can settle onto your hips or stomach. Vinegar has been used for is medicinal and health properties since ancient times. The most adamant supporters of vinegar claim that it can be beneficial for almost any malady. However, many of these claims have not been proven. There are still benefits that can be obtained through eating vinegar.

• Vinegar is high in acetic acid which helps the body absorb minerals. It may be especially beneficial for women who suffer from osteoporosis because it helps to absorb calcium. Many women cannot obtain calcium through dairy products because of lactose intolerance. Calcium may also be obtained through dark leafy greens, but these greens sometimes contain compounds that inhibit calcium absorption. Fortunately, a splash of vinegar on greens can help the body to absorb calcium.

• Vinegar may help people with type 2 diabetes. It seems to inactivate some of the enzymes that turn food into sugar. This gives the body more time to assimilate the sugar and helps prevent the blood sugar spike that can be so dangerous. A study found that those who had vinegar before their meals had a higher insulin sensitivity, which means their body was better able to utilize the sugar they consumed. This is important because elevated blood sugar levels can lead to other problems such as heart disease.

• Vinegar can be used to replace unhealthy fats and salt. Saturated fats can cause such problems as elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, which in turn, can lead to stoke and heart attack. Vinegar also adds lots of flavor, but hardly any calories! It only has 25 calories in half a cup!

• Vinegar can also be used to remove harmful pesticides from fruits and vegetables. Just mix 10 percent vinegar and 90 percent water and soak your produce in it for a few minutes. Then rinse your produce thoroughly and eat! (Don’t do this on tender produce such as berries—they absorb the vinegar through their porous skin.)

• Vinegar can enhance natural flavors. Use on sweet things such as strawberries to bring out the natural sweetness without using sugar. Use vinegar on veggies instead of salt. Make a salad dressing out of vinegar and olive oil. Use rice vinegar and soy sauce for an Asian flavor.
photo credit: paulshannon

1 pound tofu, firm
1/2 small onion, chopped (optional)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise or vegennaise
2 tablespoons pickle relish (optional)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
12 slices bread

Drain and crumble tofu. In a large bowl combine tofu and onion if using. Mix well. Add mayonnaise, pickle relish if using, mustard, curry powder, turmeric and cumin. Mix well. Season with salt and paprika. Top the bread of your choice with the Mock Egg Salad.
photo credit: 1Happysnapper

Some people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but this practice is more likely to cause a weight gain. Eating breakfast actually reduces your overall calorie intake. Studies have shown that thinner adults, adolescents and children are more likely to eat breakfast than their overweight counterparts. Skipping breakfast makes weight control more difficult because it makes snacking harder to resist and skippers typically eat larger meals during the rest of the day to compensate for their hunger. Some studies have shown that people who eat fewer, larger meals tend to accumulate more body fat. Eating breakfast also improves your performance during the day. Sometimes teens, especially girls, will skip breakfasts to lose weight. It is important for parents to educate their children on the importance of eating breakfast and its role in maintaining good health and preventing obesity. It’s also very important for children to eat breakfast instead of sleeping in. Studies show that kids who skip breakfast are tardy and absent from school more than kids who eat breakfast. If you still don’t have time to make breakfast for your kids, consider enrolling them in a school breakfast program. Remember—eating breakfast is important no matter what your age!
photo credit: lepiaf.geo

When you go to the supermarket and see something labeled “natural”, you assume it must be healthy, right? The truth is, the words food manufacturers put on their labels may not mean what you think they mean. Here’s a list of some of these words and their definitions.

• Natural: means no artificial ingredients have been added (regulated only for meat and poultry.)

• Organic: means no pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones or antibiotics were used.

• No hormones administered: an unverified certification that the cow was not given hormones during its lifetime.

• No antibiotic administered: an unverified certification that the meat or poultry has not been given antibiotics.

• Cage free: means the chickens weren’t in cages, but they can be packed into a windowless indoor space. It has no impact on nutrition.

• Free-range: an unregulated term that means the chicken has access to the outdoors for more than half its life. They can still live in very crowded conditions with limited outdoor space.

• Grass-fed: means that the cow ate grass at some point during its life. Look for “100% grass-fed.”

• Pastured or pasture-raised: unregulated term that means the animal has roamed a pasture throughout its lifetime.
photocredit:cygnus921

If you have a used yoga mat you need to get rid of, don’t trash it — recycle it! The Bolder Mat Company in Colorado will refurbish it and donate to a yoga-inspired charity. The mat will be used to teach at-risk populations about the benefits of yoga. Not only will you make someone else’s life better, you will receive a $5 coupon for a new yoga mat or accessory from The Bolder Mat Company. The process is simple:
1. Pack your mat including your personal information so they can send you a coupon.
2. Ship your mat to The Bolder Mat Company.
3. Donate and receive your coupon!
There is no limit to how many mats you can donate. Yoga studios can contact them to receive a bulk discount if they are recycling more than five mats.
www.theboldermatcompany.com
photo credit:adria.richards

Are you one of those people who looks up symptoms online to try and diagnose your health problem? Some doctors worry about their patients partaking in this practice. Over 70% of young women search the web at the first symptom. However, as long as you’re not obsessing about it to the point of becoming a hypochondriac, it may be beneficial. If you have spent some time researching, you are more equipped to have a conversation with your doctor and to ask the questions you need answers to. You can actually help your doctor make a diagnosis if you are well-prepared. Make sure you look for your health information at a reliable site. Here are several sites that are good resources.
WebMD.com
mayoclinic.com
cdc.gov (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
photocredit:laffy4k

Cockroaches—Be sure to keep your kitchen clean with no crumbs for cockroaches to feast on. Keep food sealed and put away. Seal all the entry points around pipes and doors with caulk. If need be, call an exterminator.
Mold in your vacuum cleaner—Spray your vacuum’s bristles every 3 months with white distilled vinegar. This keeps mold out of the fibers. Buy a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

Pollen on your pet—Shampoo you pet weekly. If your pet goes outside wipe them down with a wet cloth before they come back inside.
Dust mites—Wash your cushion covers and slip covers weekly on the hottest cycle you can use with them. Wash or dry clean your curtains every few months. This should help with cutting down on the amount of dust mites in your home.

Cleaning—Use some of the many newly available “green” non-toxic cleaners available at any store. Whenever you use chemicals in your home be sure to open the windows so the area is properly ventilated.

Detectors—Make sure that you not only have smoke detectors in your home, but also carbon monoxide detectors as well. Carbon monoxide is odorless, so you won’t be able to tell if it is present. Remember to check the batteries every 3 months!
photo credit: Jeremy Levine Design

The best rule of thumb is to change your sheets weekly. Every time you sleep you shed dead skin cells, hair and bodily fluids. This can cause bad odors, stickiness and a fertile breeding ground for bed bugs, fleas, dust mites and other parasites. Dust mites can cause allergies, so it’s best to keep your sheets clean. If you have severe allergies, it may be advisable to change your sheets even more than once a week. Wash your sheets in hot water to make sure that all the dead skin cells and dust mites are gone. Some people use their bed to eat in. Crumbs left in the bed may attract ants and cockroaches. If you spill food in your bed, change your sheets. People who have night sweats or wet the bed, should have their sheets changed daily. Children who are teething should also have their sheets changed daily to prevent the dried saliva from causing skin irritation. If you are sick, the sheets should be changed twice a week and the pillowcase daily. Blankets and comforters should be washed every few weeks, as well.
photo credit: chadawg24

Most people drink coffee for the morning pick-me-up, but if you are wanting to cut down on your jitters or just your caffeine intake, you have choices.
• Herbal coffees are an option, such as Teeccino. It contains no caffeine, but it may provide a natural alertness. Its main ingredient is chicory root. People who are trying to give up coffee for health reasons often turn to Teeccino. It tastes a lot like coffee, but a little sweet and smoky. It contains heart-healthy potassium and inulin that helps aid digestion. Teeccino is safe for even kids to drink and comes in a variety of flavors.
• Yerba Mate is made of South American holly tree leaves. You can find it in brands such as Guayaki, which a very environmentally friendly company that is focused on restoring the rain forests. Guayaki has less than half the caffeine of coffee. Its flavor is very herbal. It has high levels of antioxidants and heart-healthy potassium.
• Morning Matcha is made of green-tea leaves ground into powder. It also contains about half the amount of caffeine of coffee. It tastes similar to steeped green tea, but has more of a kick. It has about three times the antioxidants of bagged tea, giving you extra protection from heart disease and cancer. It is pricey, though. One jar, which contains 15-20 servings, costs $33.
photo credit: Chris Owens