Children & Infants with Albinism
http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=672
With thanks to Dr James Elder, Ophthalmologist.
Albinism
Albinism is an inherited condition. It affects the eyes and skin of some individuals, and only the eyes of others. It results from the body's inability to produce normal amounts of a pigment called melanin.
Children with oculocutaneous albinism, where both the skin and eyes are affected, can present with varying degrees of pigment. Some children have white hair, little or no pigment in the skin, pale coloured eyes and significant vision impairment. Others with more pigment may have red-brown hair, some skin colour, blue or brown eyes and less severe vision impairment.
Children with ocular albinism have vision impairment but the hair and skin are normal or near-normal in colour.
Oculocutaneous Albinism
This type of albinism usually occurs as a result of autosomal recessive inheritance, where both parents carry one gene for albinism. Recessive inheritance is the result of receiving one defective gene from each parent.
All of our genes come in pairs and if one gene is normal and the other is defective, in a recessive disorder there will be no abnormality. In oculocutaneous albinism the parents, or carriers, usually have normal pigmentation and vision, but when a defective gene is inherited from each parent, the child will have a pair of defective genes and will develop the disease.
In recessive inheritance, there is a one-in-four chance with each pregnancy that the child will have albinism. Both boys and girls can be affected.
Ocular Albinism
This type of albinism can also be recessively inherited, with both boys and girls being affected and a one-in-four chance with each pregnancy.
Ocular albinism can also be X-linked, where the gene for albinism is passed on with the X-chromosome. X-linked diseases result from the difference in the chromosomes of men and women.
Men have an X and Y chromosome and women have two X chromosomes. A disease which is caused by a defective gene on the X chromosome is much more likely to affect men as the Y chromosome will not have a matching normal gene.
Women are carriers of X-linked diseases as, almost always, there will be a normal matching gene on the second X-chromosome. In this form of inheritance, there is a one-in-two chance that sons will have albinism.
Following the birth of a child with albinism, genetic counselling can provide parents with information regarding the risk of future children having albinism
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Weighing the Costs of a CT Scan’s Look Inside the Heart
- And they expose patients to large doses of radiation, equivalent to at least several hundred X-rays, creating a small but real cancer risk.
- Would he join them in buying a CT scanner, a $1 million machine that produces detailed images of the heart?
- “If you have ownership of the machine,” he later recalled, “you’re going to want to utilize the machine.” He said no to the offer.
it cost $1 million , they need to make 4000 scans to make that money .
- Useful for emergency heart attack patient, but not required for majority of them
For too many people, the scans are simply inappropriate, said Dr. Howard C. Herrmann, director of interventional cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania. “I find many patients have CT angiograms who shouldn’t be getting CT angiograms.”
- Would he join them in buying a CT scanner, a $1 million machine that produces detailed images of the heart?
- “If you have ownership of the machine,” he later recalled, “you’re going to want to utilize the machine.” He said no to the offer.
it cost $1 million , they need to make 4000 scans to make that money .
- Useful for emergency heart attack patient, but not required for majority of them
For too many people, the scans are simply inappropriate, said Dr. Howard C. Herrmann, director of interventional cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania. “I find many patients have CT angiograms who shouldn’t be getting CT angiograms.”
Friday, May 30, 2008
Asthma
This article originally appeared in the November 1996 FDA Consumer. The version below is from a reprint of the original article and contains revisions made in June 1998 and June 2000.
-- asr:FDA article more reliable info
The key to effective, long-term treatment of asthma is finding the drugs and dosage plan most effective in dealing with or preventing acute episodes. But effective treatment depends as well on the patient and the care-giver knowing what the various anti-asthma drugs do, when and in what amount each drug should be used, when a change in symptoms or in the response to a particular drug requires a call or visit to the physician, and when to get emergency help. Physicians who specialize in treating asthmatics go over these points in detail as part of an overall treatment plan designed and, as necessary, adjusted to meet the needs of each individual patient.
A cure for asthma is judged by experts to be still a far-off possibility. But the majority of asthma sufferers can lead essentially normal, symptom-free lives by understanding and sticking to a well-planned strategy to keep clear of asthma triggers and to use the right drugs in the right way.
______________________________________________________
Treating Asthma: Personalized Medicine
Are you getting care that's right for your body, your age, and your background?
"Every person who has been diagnosed with asthma needs a treatment plan that's custom-tailored to his or her specific needs," says allergist Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
"If you're just using a bronchodilator -- a rescue medicine -- you're not dealing with the real disease," Bernstein tells WebMD. "You're not treating the underlying inflammation in the airways."
"Many people -- and some doctors -- still don't realize that asthma is a chronic disease," he says. "It's still there even when you're feeling well."
In fact, the inflammation in the airways can worsen without causing any symptoms -- only lung function tests may detect it, says Bernstein. Even if you do have worsening symptoms, the changes may happen so slowly that you don't notice it.
Studies bear this out. In 2005, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation released the results of a poll of 4,500 adults in the U.S. The majority -- 88% of people with asthma -- said that their condition was "under control." But doctors would disagree. Of the patients polled, 50% said that asthma made them stop exercising, and 48% said that it woke them at night. If your asthma is "under control," you should not be having these problems.
"I explain to my patients that asthma is really more like diabetes or hypertension," says Blaiss, who is also clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis. "We can't cure it, but we can control it with the right daily medication."
Treatment Plan:
--------------------------------
Keep track of any asthma attacks and any potential triggers that you are aware of. And also write down how often you're having attacks during the night or while exercising. If you have nighttime symptoms more than twice a month you may need a change in your treatment.
Also, monitor how often you use your inhalers. If you're using your quick relief inhalers more than two days per week, you may need different medication.
While you must get enough medication to control your symptoms, don't assume that more is better. Every medicine you add increases the risk of interactions and side effects.
"A lot of people wind up on five different medicines over time," says Windom. "They may have their symptoms under control, but two or three of those medicines may not really be doing anything." So he says that, together with your doctor, you need to make sure you are not taking any unnecessary medicines.
"Once you and your doctor agree on a treatment plan, you need to stick to it," says Bernstein. He also says that people need to be careful to practice environmental control at home -- like keeping pets out of the bedroom, wrapping the mattress and box spring in vinyl to keep out dust mites, and using a dehumidifier. You shouldn't expect your doctor to resolve your asthma entirely through prescription medications.
Finally, don't give up.
"Like other chronic illnesses, dealing with asthma can be exhausting," says Windom. It's easy to get discouraged, especially if treatment hasn't been helping.
But don't surrender to your symptoms. If your asthma treatment hasn't been working, maybe it just needs to be adjusted or changed. You might find that a good partnership with your doctor and a personalized treatment plan could make all the difference.
______________________________________________________
Myths, facts, and statistics about asthma
-MedicineNet, Inc. - Owned and Operated by WebMD and part of the WebMD Network
- so information is reliable
Before we present the typical symptoms of asthma, we should dispel some common myths about this condition. This is best achieved by conducting a short true or false quiz.
T or F Asthma is "all in the mind."
T or F You will "grow out of it."
T or F Asthma can be cured, so it is not serious and nobody dies from it.
T or F You are likely to develop asthma if someone in your family has it.
T or F You can "catch" asthma from someone else who has it.
T or F Moving to a different location, such as the desert, can cure asthma.
T or F People with asthma should not exercise.
T or F Asthma does not require medical treatment.
T or F Medications used to treat asthma are habit-forming.
T or F Someone with asthma can provoke episodes anytime they want in order to get attention.
Here are the answers:
F - Asthma is not a psychological condition. However, emotional triggers can cause flare-ups.
F - You cannot outgrow asthma. In about 50% of children with asthma, the condition may become inactive in the teenage years. The symptoms, however, may reoccur at any time in adulthood.
F - There is no cure for asthma, but the disease can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The condition should be taken seriously, since uncontrolled asthma may result in emergency hospitalization and possible death.
T - You have a 6% chance of having asthma if neither parent has the condition; a 30% chance if one parent has it; and a 70% chance if both parents have it.
F - Asthma is not contagious.
F - A new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but it will not cure asthma. After a few years in the new location, many people become sensitized to the new environment and the asthma symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity than before.
F - Swimming is an optimal exercise for those with asthma. On the other hand, exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people.
F - Asthma is best controlled by having an asthma management plan designed by your doctor that includes the medications used for quick relief and those used as controllers.
F - Asthma medications are not addictive.
F - Asthma attacks cannot be faked.
-------------------------------------------
Homeo Doctor (got reference from desi yahoo group )
http://www.billgrayhomeopathy.com/DrGray.html
-- asr:FDA article more reliable info
The key to effective, long-term treatment of asthma is finding the drugs and dosage plan most effective in dealing with or preventing acute episodes. But effective treatment depends as well on the patient and the care-giver knowing what the various anti-asthma drugs do, when and in what amount each drug should be used, when a change in symptoms or in the response to a particular drug requires a call or visit to the physician, and when to get emergency help. Physicians who specialize in treating asthmatics go over these points in detail as part of an overall treatment plan designed and, as necessary, adjusted to meet the needs of each individual patient.
A cure for asthma is judged by experts to be still a far-off possibility. But the majority of asthma sufferers can lead essentially normal, symptom-free lives by understanding and sticking to a well-planned strategy to keep clear of asthma triggers and to use the right drugs in the right way.
______________________________________________________
Treating Asthma: Personalized Medicine
Are you getting care that's right for your body, your age, and your background?
"Every person who has been diagnosed with asthma needs a treatment plan that's custom-tailored to his or her specific needs," says allergist Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
"If you're just using a bronchodilator -- a rescue medicine -- you're not dealing with the real disease," Bernstein tells WebMD. "You're not treating the underlying inflammation in the airways."
"Many people -- and some doctors -- still don't realize that asthma is a chronic disease," he says. "It's still there even when you're feeling well."
In fact, the inflammation in the airways can worsen without causing any symptoms -- only lung function tests may detect it, says Bernstein. Even if you do have worsening symptoms, the changes may happen so slowly that you don't notice it.
Studies bear this out. In 2005, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation released the results of a poll of 4,500 adults in the U.S. The majority -- 88% of people with asthma -- said that their condition was "under control." But doctors would disagree. Of the patients polled, 50% said that asthma made them stop exercising, and 48% said that it woke them at night. If your asthma is "under control," you should not be having these problems.
"I explain to my patients that asthma is really more like diabetes or hypertension," says Blaiss, who is also clinical professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis. "We can't cure it, but we can control it with the right daily medication."
Treatment Plan:
--------------------------------
Keep track of any asthma attacks and any potential triggers that you are aware of. And also write down how often you're having attacks during the night or while exercising. If you have nighttime symptoms more than twice a month you may need a change in your treatment.
Also, monitor how often you use your inhalers. If you're using your quick relief inhalers more than two days per week, you may need different medication.
While you must get enough medication to control your symptoms, don't assume that more is better. Every medicine you add increases the risk of interactions and side effects.
"A lot of people wind up on five different medicines over time," says Windom. "They may have their symptoms under control, but two or three of those medicines may not really be doing anything." So he says that, together with your doctor, you need to make sure you are not taking any unnecessary medicines.
"Once you and your doctor agree on a treatment plan, you need to stick to it," says Bernstein. He also says that people need to be careful to practice environmental control at home -- like keeping pets out of the bedroom, wrapping the mattress and box spring in vinyl to keep out dust mites, and using a dehumidifier. You shouldn't expect your doctor to resolve your asthma entirely through prescription medications.
Finally, don't give up.
"Like other chronic illnesses, dealing with asthma can be exhausting," says Windom. It's easy to get discouraged, especially if treatment hasn't been helping.
But don't surrender to your symptoms. If your asthma treatment hasn't been working, maybe it just needs to be adjusted or changed. You might find that a good partnership with your doctor and a personalized treatment plan could make all the difference.
______________________________________________________
Myths, facts, and statistics about asthma
-MedicineNet, Inc. - Owned and Operated by WebMD and part of the WebMD Network
- so information is reliable
Before we present the typical symptoms of asthma, we should dispel some common myths about this condition. This is best achieved by conducting a short true or false quiz.
T or F Asthma is "all in the mind."
T or F You will "grow out of it."
T or F Asthma can be cured, so it is not serious and nobody dies from it.
T or F You are likely to develop asthma if someone in your family has it.
T or F You can "catch" asthma from someone else who has it.
T or F Moving to a different location, such as the desert, can cure asthma.
T or F People with asthma should not exercise.
T or F Asthma does not require medical treatment.
T or F Medications used to treat asthma are habit-forming.
T or F Someone with asthma can provoke episodes anytime they want in order to get attention.
Here are the answers:
F - Asthma is not a psychological condition. However, emotional triggers can cause flare-ups.
F - You cannot outgrow asthma. In about 50% of children with asthma, the condition may become inactive in the teenage years. The symptoms, however, may reoccur at any time in adulthood.
F - There is no cure for asthma, but the disease can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The condition should be taken seriously, since uncontrolled asthma may result in emergency hospitalization and possible death.
T - You have a 6% chance of having asthma if neither parent has the condition; a 30% chance if one parent has it; and a 70% chance if both parents have it.
F - Asthma is not contagious.
F - A new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but it will not cure asthma. After a few years in the new location, many people become sensitized to the new environment and the asthma symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity than before.
F - Swimming is an optimal exercise for those with asthma. On the other hand, exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people.
F - Asthma is best controlled by having an asthma management plan designed by your doctor that includes the medications used for quick relief and those used as controllers.
F - Asthma medications are not addictive.
F - Asthma attacks cannot be faked.
-------------------------------------------
Homeo Doctor (got reference from desi yahoo group )
http://www.billgrayhomeopathy.com/DrGray.html
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Best Snacks — 100 Calories or Less
By Delia A. Hammock, M.S., R.D., Good Housekeeping Research Institute
On a diet but don't want to deprive yourself of a treat here and there? Try these tasty nibbles — all 100 calories or less.
Sweet Treats
* 1 Whole Foods Market Two-Bite Brownie
* 1 Healthy Choice Mocha Fudge Swirl Bar
* 1 pouch Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread Cookies
* 1/2 cup Sharon's Lemon Sorbet with 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1 Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar
* 1 Nestlé Butterfinger Stixx
* 12 chocolate or vanilla Miss Meringue Minis
* 5 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
* 3 Country Choice Certified Organic Ginger Snaps
* 1 Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Vitatop
* 1 Blue Bunny FrozFruit Chunky Mango Cream Bar
* 1 pouch O'coco's Organic Chocolate Chrisps
Fruits & Veggies
* 2 cups raspberries
* 1 cup mango chunks
* 28 grapes
* 1 cup blueberries
* 1/2 medium cantaloupe
* 15 strawberries dipped in 1/4 cup Cool Whip Lite
* 1/2 small apple with 2 teaspoons peanut butter
* 45 steamed edamame (green soybeans)
* 2 tablespoons each of mashed avocado and chopped tomatoes stuffed in 1/2 mini pita
* 1/2 red bell pepper dipped in 3 tablespoons hummus
* Salad with 3 cups lettuce 2 scallions and 1 small tangerine drizzled with 2 tablespoons Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
Dairy Delights
* 1 Kraft Polly-O Superlong Twist-Ums string cheese stick
* 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 5 strawberries
* 1 Laughing Cow Light Creamy Garlic & Herb cheese wedge and 3 Triscuits
* 1 Yoplait Light Smoothie
* 6 ounces fat-free plain yogurt topped with 1/3 cup raspberries
Savory Bites
* 20 roasted peanuts
* 60 Pepperidge Farm Baby Goldfish Crackers
* 1 Jolly Time Healthy Pop 100 Calorie Mini Bag popcorn
* 12 Back to Nature Sesame Ginger Rice Thins
* 40 Rold Gold Classic Style Pretzel Sticks
* 12 Quaker Quakes Cheddar Cheese Rice Snacks
* 20 Glenny's Low Fat Soy Crisps
* 10 Guiltless Gourmet Baked Yellow Corn Chips with 1/4 cup salsa
Hearty Helpings
* Campbell's Soup at Hand Blended Vegetable Medley
* 1 Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bar
* 1 hard-boiled egg with 1 slice Melba toast
* 4 slices Sara Lee Honey Ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard, rolled in lettuce leaf
* 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread with 1 tsp. light butter
* 1/2 mini bagel with 1 ounce smoked salmon
* 1 Nutri-Grain Low Fat Whole Wheat Waffle with 1 tbsp. Smucker's Squeeze
On a diet but don't want to deprive yourself of a treat here and there? Try these tasty nibbles — all 100 calories or less.
Sweet Treats
* 1 Whole Foods Market Two-Bite Brownie
* 1 Healthy Choice Mocha Fudge Swirl Bar
* 1 pouch Keebler Sandies Right Bites Shortbread Cookies
* 1/2 cup Sharon's Lemon Sorbet with 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1 Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar
* 1 Nestlé Butterfinger Stixx
* 12 chocolate or vanilla Miss Meringue Minis
* 5 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
* 3 Country Choice Certified Organic Ginger Snaps
* 1 Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Vitatop
* 1 Blue Bunny FrozFruit Chunky Mango Cream Bar
* 1 pouch O'coco's Organic Chocolate Chrisps
Fruits & Veggies
* 2 cups raspberries
* 1 cup mango chunks
* 28 grapes
* 1 cup blueberries
* 1/2 medium cantaloupe
* 15 strawberries dipped in 1/4 cup Cool Whip Lite
* 1/2 small apple with 2 teaspoons peanut butter
* 45 steamed edamame (green soybeans)
* 2 tablespoons each of mashed avocado and chopped tomatoes stuffed in 1/2 mini pita
* 1/2 red bell pepper dipped in 3 tablespoons hummus
* Salad with 3 cups lettuce 2 scallions and 1 small tangerine drizzled with 2 tablespoons Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
Dairy Delights
* 1 Kraft Polly-O Superlong Twist-Ums string cheese stick
* 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 5 strawberries
* 1 Laughing Cow Light Creamy Garlic & Herb cheese wedge and 3 Triscuits
* 1 Yoplait Light Smoothie
* 6 ounces fat-free plain yogurt topped with 1/3 cup raspberries
Savory Bites
* 20 roasted peanuts
* 60 Pepperidge Farm Baby Goldfish Crackers
* 1 Jolly Time Healthy Pop 100 Calorie Mini Bag popcorn
* 12 Back to Nature Sesame Ginger Rice Thins
* 40 Rold Gold Classic Style Pretzel Sticks
* 12 Quaker Quakes Cheddar Cheese Rice Snacks
* 20 Glenny's Low Fat Soy Crisps
* 10 Guiltless Gourmet Baked Yellow Corn Chips with 1/4 cup salsa
Hearty Helpings
* Campbell's Soup at Hand Blended Vegetable Medley
* 1 Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bar
* 1 hard-boiled egg with 1 slice Melba toast
* 4 slices Sara Lee Honey Ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard, rolled in lettuce leaf
* 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl Bread with 1 tsp. light butter
* 1/2 mini bagel with 1 ounce smoked salmon
* 1 Nutri-Grain Low Fat Whole Wheat Waffle with 1 tbsp. Smucker's Squeeze
The 20 Best Snacks for Kids
By Jacqueline Plant and Fraya Berg - parents.com
Toss the junk food! Our nutritious munchies taste so great, your child will never guess they're good for him.
1.Peanut Butter This versatile childhood favorite's got plenty of protein and fiber. For a change, try making silly PB&J sandwiches: Instead of bread, use toasted mini waffles or rice cakes.
2.Sweet-Potato Chips Sweet spuds are one of the most nutritious vegetables around: They're packed with vitamin A and are a good source of B6, C, and folate. These simple, delicious chips are a great alternative to the greasy, store-bought variety.
3.Healthy Baked Treats Your child will never guess you're sneaking fruits or vegetables into her diet when you bake them into yummy muffins or breads. Banana bread, zucchini muffins, and carrot bars are a few of our favorites for kids. Our tasty Carrot-Cake Bars contain beta-carotene from the carrots and vitamin C from the pineapple.
4. Whole-grain cereal A bowl of enriched whole-grain cereal with milk and fruit is power-packed with vitamins, calcium, and fiber. Cheerios are a classic, but another brand we like is Barbara's Bakery Multigrain Shredded Spoonfuls.
5.Cheese The protein in this versatile snack keeps energy levels high until dinnertime. We like to stick salt-free pretzel sticks into cubes of low-fat cheese to make "satellite snacks," but you can also make cheese more interesting to kids by melting some on an English-muffin half, serving it with whole-wheat crackers, or cutting a face in a slice of American cheese.
6.Eggs One egg provides a 4-year-old with almost one third of her protein requirements for the day. Keep a bunch hardboiled in the fridge (they last for seven days), or scramble an egg and roll it up in a flour tortilla. Our fun, hard-cooked creation, decorated with FooDoodler food-coloring markers, makes a jazzy addition to an after-school snack pack.
7.Yogurt Low-fat yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, and children love it dressed up. To keep sugar content to a minimum, buy plain yogurt and mix it with your child's favorite fruit preserves, a pinch of colored sprinkles, or a bit of honey and some granola.
8.Quesadillas Cheesy quesadillas are a calcium-rich snack that's got protein as well. You can mix anything with the cheese: chopped vegetables, leftover cooked chicken, or even shrimp. Try our Quesadilla Twisters, which are easy to make and fun for kids to hold. Between the folate in the corn, the lycopene in the tomato, and the iron in the spinach, this snack really packs a nutritional punch.
9.Hummus Made from pureed chickpeas, hummus is an excellent dip for kids. It's got an appealing nutty flavor, is thick enough not to be messy, and contains folate, vitamin B6, and iron. Serve our easy-to-make hummus with cut-up vegetables, pita triangles, or salt-free crackers.
10.Pears Rich in fiber and available year-round, pears come in many delicious varieties. Pack one in your child's lunch box, or try slicing it for an after-school snack. Or serve up equally nutritious canned pears, which is what we used for our fun Pear Pinwheels.
11.Noodles Pasta is a fabulous source of complex carbohydrates. Pick some in your child's favorite shape, and cook up a batch to keep in the refrigerator. At snacktime, microwave a half-cup serving tossed with veggies or cooked chicken and jarred tomato sauce.
12.Smoothies Kids go crazy over these delicious, sippable treats, and they're packed with nutrients. Use nonfat vanilla yogurt, orange juice, and a banana as the smoothie's base, then experiment with a combination of cut-up fresh or frozen fruit. It's a great way to sneak two or three servings of fruit into your child's diet. Our favorite smoothie adds an extra dose of fiber, a nutrient that many kids don't get enough of.
13.Snack Mix Toss together a healthy combo of nuts, pretzels, whole-grain cereal, banana chips, and popcorn for a handy, portable snack. Nuts contain must-have minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc. Try our kid-friendly Nuts and Bolts, or make up one of your own!
14.Ovaltine Milk mixed up with caffeine-free Ovaltine (available in chocolate or malt) is a filling, protein-rich snack that provides a child with 40 percent of the RDA for calcium, 80 percent of her daily vitamin D, and more than 50 percent of her daily B vitamins.
15. Low-Fat Ham It tastes just as good as regular ham, but the low-fat version is much healthier and a great way to boost your child's protein intake. Roll up a slice on its own or with a piece of cheese, make crustless ham-sandwich "hors d'oeuvres," or try our Peekaboo Muffins with diced ham and shredded cheese baked inside.
Our 5 Favorite Convenience Snacks
* Kettle Valley Real Fruit Snack: This all-natural dried-fruit bar provides lots of vitamin C.
* General Mills Chex Morning Mix: This low-fat, vitamin-fortified snack comes in handy single servings.
*Polly-O Pizza Diparellas: Healthy cheese sticks come with a fun tomato dipping sauce.
*Glenny's Soy Veggie Snack: These seasoned puffs are a good source of soy protein.
*Rag� Express: These microwavable single-serving containers of pasta and sauce are low in fat.
Toss the junk food! Our nutritious munchies taste so great, your child will never guess they're good for him.
1.Peanut Butter This versatile childhood favorite's got plenty of protein and fiber. For a change, try making silly PB&J sandwiches: Instead of bread, use toasted mini waffles or rice cakes.
2.Sweet-Potato Chips Sweet spuds are one of the most nutritious vegetables around: They're packed with vitamin A and are a good source of B6, C, and folate. These simple, delicious chips are a great alternative to the greasy, store-bought variety.
3.Healthy Baked Treats Your child will never guess you're sneaking fruits or vegetables into her diet when you bake them into yummy muffins or breads. Banana bread, zucchini muffins, and carrot bars are a few of our favorites for kids. Our tasty Carrot-Cake Bars contain beta-carotene from the carrots and vitamin C from the pineapple.
4. Whole-grain cereal A bowl of enriched whole-grain cereal with milk and fruit is power-packed with vitamins, calcium, and fiber. Cheerios are a classic, but another brand we like is Barbara's Bakery Multigrain Shredded Spoonfuls.
5.Cheese The protein in this versatile snack keeps energy levels high until dinnertime. We like to stick salt-free pretzel sticks into cubes of low-fat cheese to make "satellite snacks," but you can also make cheese more interesting to kids by melting some on an English-muffin half, serving it with whole-wheat crackers, or cutting a face in a slice of American cheese.
6.Eggs One egg provides a 4-year-old with almost one third of her protein requirements for the day. Keep a bunch hardboiled in the fridge (they last for seven days), or scramble an egg and roll it up in a flour tortilla. Our fun, hard-cooked creation, decorated with FooDoodler food-coloring markers, makes a jazzy addition to an after-school snack pack.
7.Yogurt Low-fat yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, and children love it dressed up. To keep sugar content to a minimum, buy plain yogurt and mix it with your child's favorite fruit preserves, a pinch of colored sprinkles, or a bit of honey and some granola.
8.Quesadillas Cheesy quesadillas are a calcium-rich snack that's got protein as well. You can mix anything with the cheese: chopped vegetables, leftover cooked chicken, or even shrimp. Try our Quesadilla Twisters, which are easy to make and fun for kids to hold. Between the folate in the corn, the lycopene in the tomato, and the iron in the spinach, this snack really packs a nutritional punch.
9.Hummus Made from pureed chickpeas, hummus is an excellent dip for kids. It's got an appealing nutty flavor, is thick enough not to be messy, and contains folate, vitamin B6, and iron. Serve our easy-to-make hummus with cut-up vegetables, pita triangles, or salt-free crackers.
10.Pears Rich in fiber and available year-round, pears come in many delicious varieties. Pack one in your child's lunch box, or try slicing it for an after-school snack. Or serve up equally nutritious canned pears, which is what we used for our fun Pear Pinwheels.
11.Noodles Pasta is a fabulous source of complex carbohydrates. Pick some in your child's favorite shape, and cook up a batch to keep in the refrigerator. At snacktime, microwave a half-cup serving tossed with veggies or cooked chicken and jarred tomato sauce.
12.Smoothies Kids go crazy over these delicious, sippable treats, and they're packed with nutrients. Use nonfat vanilla yogurt, orange juice, and a banana as the smoothie's base, then experiment with a combination of cut-up fresh or frozen fruit. It's a great way to sneak two or three servings of fruit into your child's diet. Our favorite smoothie adds an extra dose of fiber, a nutrient that many kids don't get enough of.
13.Snack Mix Toss together a healthy combo of nuts, pretzels, whole-grain cereal, banana chips, and popcorn for a handy, portable snack. Nuts contain must-have minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc. Try our kid-friendly Nuts and Bolts, or make up one of your own!
14.Ovaltine Milk mixed up with caffeine-free Ovaltine (available in chocolate or malt) is a filling, protein-rich snack that provides a child with 40 percent of the RDA for calcium, 80 percent of her daily vitamin D, and more than 50 percent of her daily B vitamins.
15. Low-Fat Ham It tastes just as good as regular ham, but the low-fat version is much healthier and a great way to boost your child's protein intake. Roll up a slice on its own or with a piece of cheese, make crustless ham-sandwich "hors d'oeuvres," or try our Peekaboo Muffins with diced ham and shredded cheese baked inside.
Our 5 Favorite Convenience Snacks
* Kettle Valley Real Fruit Snack: This all-natural dried-fruit bar provides lots of vitamin C.
* General Mills Chex Morning Mix: This low-fat, vitamin-fortified snack comes in handy single servings.
*Polly-O Pizza Diparellas: Healthy cheese sticks come with a fun tomato dipping sauce.
*Glenny's Soy Veggie Snack: These seasoned puffs are a good source of soy protein.
*Rag� Express: These microwavable single-serving containers of pasta and sauce are low in fat.
Best Snacks, Worst Snacks
Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD By Elaine Magee WebMD Feature
Published July 30, 2003. Medically updated Feb. 14, 2006.
SOURCE: Elaine Magee, PhD, RD, author of numerous nutrition books, including The Recipe Doctor Cookbook: Light and Healthy Versions of America's Favorite Dishes.
Noted nutritionist and author Elaine Magee, PhD, RD, says there's no reason to deprive yourself of a snack. To make wise choices, print this list and post it on your fridge.
Best Snacks
Popcorn
If you microwave, buy microwave popcorn that's 98% fat free. It's OK to drizzle on a teaspoon of butter if you crave the flavor. You're still consuming less fat than you would if you popped a bag of regular microwave popcorn, says Magee.
Fruit and Fruit Smoothies
"Awesome, awesome healthy snack choice," says Magee. For a complete snack that will sustain you through the afternoon, make a fruit smoothie in your blender. Use low-fat yogurt, fruit such as berries and banana, ice and -- if you want -- a little 100% fruit juice, milk, or soy milk as your base.
Yogurt and Frozen Yogurt
Yogurt doesn't need sugar to taste good. Buy plain yogurt and add something to it, like low-fat granola and fresh fruit, for a truly healthy snack.
Frozen Fruit Bars
These are fine snacks. Look for 100% fruit-juice choices in your supermarket freezer, says Magee.
Vegetables
You can't find a healthier snack. "I usually have a dip, like light ranch dip, and assorted vegetables on a platter," says Magee. Kids love this!
Cereal
Ah, the favorite snack of the young and single set! To keep it healthy, choose the higher-fiber, lower-sugar options such as oatmeal.
Peanut Butter
True, peanut butter is loaded with calories, but it's an OK snack if you eat just one tablespoon spread over several whole-grain crackers or a slice of whole-wheat bread.
Chocolate
Chocolate?! Sure, says Magee, as long as you opt for a small piece. "Almost every day, I have a little bit of chocolate," she says. "If you deprive yourself, you'll end up compulsively overeating."
Ice Cream
Get real. We all know ice cream isn't an everyday snack. But there are healthy choices. Breyer's Light Vanilla is a good-tasting vanilla ice cream, says Magee, and Smart Ones fudge bars are "really delicious -- they hit your chocolate and ice cream craving, plus they have four grams soluble fiber, 80 calories, hardly any fat, and very good flavor."
Worst Snacks
Cookies
"If they're fat-free, the cookies aren't so great, and you end up eating more," Magee says. "Cookies are something you should enjoy, but not as a regular snack."
Cake
As much as we love it, cake is not a snack. With about 400 calories per slice, cake is more like a mini-meal without nutritional value, says Magee.
Granola Bars
The chewier they are, the more sugar and fat they have, Magee says. "The healthy ones are crunchy, and not coated in chocolate." If you truly crave granola bars, make your own. "There are good recipes out there," she says, "and then you can choose the oil, fruits, grains that go into them."
Cheese and Crackers
This snack sounds healthy, but both cheese and crackers are usually loaded with fat. Try using Kraft 2% and Jarlsberg Light cheese on whole-grain, low-fat crackers for a lighter version of this snack.
Chips or Nachos
True, there are reduced fat chips and chips made with canola oil. But chips are still the type of snack that people tend to overeat. Says Magee: "You're better off eating a real potato."
Published July 30, 2003. Medically updated Feb. 14, 2006.
SOURCE: Elaine Magee, PhD, RD, author of numerous nutrition books, including The Recipe Doctor Cookbook: Light and Healthy Versions of America's Favorite Dishes.
Noted nutritionist and author Elaine Magee, PhD, RD, says there's no reason to deprive yourself of a snack. To make wise choices, print this list and post it on your fridge.
Best Snacks
Popcorn
If you microwave, buy microwave popcorn that's 98% fat free. It's OK to drizzle on a teaspoon of butter if you crave the flavor. You're still consuming less fat than you would if you popped a bag of regular microwave popcorn, says Magee.
Fruit and Fruit Smoothies
"Awesome, awesome healthy snack choice," says Magee. For a complete snack that will sustain you through the afternoon, make a fruit smoothie in your blender. Use low-fat yogurt, fruit such as berries and banana, ice and -- if you want -- a little 100% fruit juice, milk, or soy milk as your base.
Yogurt and Frozen Yogurt
Yogurt doesn't need sugar to taste good. Buy plain yogurt and add something to it, like low-fat granola and fresh fruit, for a truly healthy snack.
Frozen Fruit Bars
These are fine snacks. Look for 100% fruit-juice choices in your supermarket freezer, says Magee.
Vegetables
You can't find a healthier snack. "I usually have a dip, like light ranch dip, and assorted vegetables on a platter," says Magee. Kids love this!
Cereal
Ah, the favorite snack of the young and single set! To keep it healthy, choose the higher-fiber, lower-sugar options such as oatmeal.
Peanut Butter
True, peanut butter is loaded with calories, but it's an OK snack if you eat just one tablespoon spread over several whole-grain crackers or a slice of whole-wheat bread.
Chocolate
Chocolate?! Sure, says Magee, as long as you opt for a small piece. "Almost every day, I have a little bit of chocolate," she says. "If you deprive yourself, you'll end up compulsively overeating."
Ice Cream
Get real. We all know ice cream isn't an everyday snack. But there are healthy choices. Breyer's Light Vanilla is a good-tasting vanilla ice cream, says Magee, and Smart Ones fudge bars are "really delicious -- they hit your chocolate and ice cream craving, plus they have four grams soluble fiber, 80 calories, hardly any fat, and very good flavor."
Worst Snacks
Cookies
"If they're fat-free, the cookies aren't so great, and you end up eating more," Magee says. "Cookies are something you should enjoy, but not as a regular snack."
Cake
As much as we love it, cake is not a snack. With about 400 calories per slice, cake is more like a mini-meal without nutritional value, says Magee.
Granola Bars
The chewier they are, the more sugar and fat they have, Magee says. "The healthy ones are crunchy, and not coated in chocolate." If you truly crave granola bars, make your own. "There are good recipes out there," she says, "and then you can choose the oil, fruits, grains that go into them."
Cheese and Crackers
This snack sounds healthy, but both cheese and crackers are usually loaded with fat. Try using Kraft 2% and Jarlsberg Light cheese on whole-grain, low-fat crackers for a lighter version of this snack.
Chips or Nachos
True, there are reduced fat chips and chips made with canola oil. But chips are still the type of snack that people tend to overeat. Says Magee: "You're better off eating a real potato."
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System
1. How The Momentum Fitness works:
What is a Heart Rate Monitor?: A heart rate monitor helps you measure the intensity of your workout. Most heart rate monitors come in two separate pieces – a chest band and a wrist watch.
Sample Interval Workout: Sample 25-Minute Interval Workout with 3-Minute Intervals
Warm Up: Be sure to warm up for 5 minutes. You can walk, jog in place, jump rope, or run around the block. In fact, you can do anything that gets your heart rate elevated, as long as you don’t overdo it. This means that your perceived exertion (P.E.) during the warm up should be a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 (“1” is the exertion required to sit on the sofa and at “10,” you’ve just passed out). Never go above a perceived 8.5 exertion while doing this or any workout.
Give Yourself A Break! The Importance of Recovery in Your Training
Your success with Momentum lies in the strength of interval training — not only getting your heart rate up, but also letting it come down again before starting your next interval. Alternating between exertion and recovery strengthens your heart (a muscle) and lungs because you are training the two how to respond to, and absorb, exertion. The more you work your heart and lungs using Momentum intervals, the quicker you will recover over time. This is why your recovery heart rate is such an important indicator of your fitness level.
There are several ways to find your recovery rate. Momentum users can actually see it on their heart rate monitor during their interval workouts. For example, if you hit a target heart rate of 150 during a 3-minute interval, and your heart drops 30 beats per minute during your 1-minute recovery, your recovery rate is 30 bpm.
2. Product Description
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System uses interval training techniques, one of the hottest trends in health and fitness, to cut your exercise time in half, and give you the healthy weight-loss results that you have been looking for. Momentum fits easily into every lifestyle, whether you like running on a treadmill in the gym or biking a mountain trail.
3: Credibility: References , endorsements ( creditability of person who endorsed )
The Science of Momentum Summary Report documents the benefits of using the Momentum System.
"The Momentum System takes a straight-forward approach to exercise and nutrition, without the empty promises so common in many other programs. I have been in the health and fitness field for over two decades and am happy to endorse Momentum as a quality product that is based on science, and not just on hype."
Joseph Quatrochi, Ph.D.
Professor of Human Performance and Sport (HPS) at Metropolitan State College of Denver
The Science of Momentum Summary Report documents the benefits of using the Momentum System.
#1: ACSM Guidelines: Interval Recommendation
For the first time, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the most widely recognized authority on fitness guidelines, specifies "intervals" as an acceptable method of working toward improving cardiovascular fitness in their textbook, ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise and Prescription(ACSM Guidelines), 7 th Edition (2006 released May, 2005).
ACSM Guidelines: Interval Recommendation
The RESEARCH
· Interval Training: Lose 3 Times the Fat
· Interval Training: Burns up to 30% More Calories
· Interval Training: Results in Three 30-Minute Workouts Per Week
· Interval Training: Strengthens Heart and Lungs
· Interval Training: Builds Endurance
· Interval Training: Increases "After-Burn"
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System combines a 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-minute No Excuses Workout with Interval Training techniques and a common-sense approach to nutrition and health.
4. Person behind this product
Jonathan Roche is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on heart rate-based interval training. Through his company, Breakthrough Health & Fitness, Jonathan promotes the use of heart-rate based interval workouts to achieve maximum fitness and weight loss results in the shortest period of time. Says Jonathan, “It’s not how hard you train. It’s how smart you train.”
Jonathan, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, is a certified personal trainer, an award-winning fitness video instructor, an 10-time Boston Marathon runner and an 12-time Ironman Triathlon finisher selected All-American by USA Triathlon in 2003. He has run 11 Boston Marathons as a member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute team.
Jonathan Roche BlogTalkRadio - see the recored Radio talk on the right side. If you listen to talkshow Very practical advice asking to park car couple minutes away in the office parking lot.
P.S: I found this Momentum Fitness when surfing BlogTalkRadio when on ZDNet
What is a Heart Rate Monitor?: A heart rate monitor helps you measure the intensity of your workout. Most heart rate monitors come in two separate pieces – a chest band and a wrist watch.
Sample Interval Workout: Sample 25-Minute Interval Workout with 3-Minute Intervals
Warm Up: Be sure to warm up for 5 minutes. You can walk, jog in place, jump rope, or run around the block. In fact, you can do anything that gets your heart rate elevated, as long as you don’t overdo it. This means that your perceived exertion (P.E.) during the warm up should be a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 (“1” is the exertion required to sit on the sofa and at “10,” you’ve just passed out). Never go above a perceived 8.5 exertion while doing this or any workout.
Give Yourself A Break! The Importance of Recovery in Your Training
Your success with Momentum lies in the strength of interval training — not only getting your heart rate up, but also letting it come down again before starting your next interval. Alternating between exertion and recovery strengthens your heart (a muscle) and lungs because you are training the two how to respond to, and absorb, exertion. The more you work your heart and lungs using Momentum intervals, the quicker you will recover over time. This is why your recovery heart rate is such an important indicator of your fitness level.
There are several ways to find your recovery rate. Momentum users can actually see it on their heart rate monitor during their interval workouts. For example, if you hit a target heart rate of 150 during a 3-minute interval, and your heart drops 30 beats per minute during your 1-minute recovery, your recovery rate is 30 bpm.
2. Product Description
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System uses interval training techniques, one of the hottest trends in health and fitness, to cut your exercise time in half, and give you the healthy weight-loss results that you have been looking for. Momentum fits easily into every lifestyle, whether you like running on a treadmill in the gym or biking a mountain trail.
3: Credibility: References , endorsements ( creditability of person who endorsed )
The Science of Momentum Summary Report documents the benefits of using the Momentum System.
"The Momentum System takes a straight-forward approach to exercise and nutrition, without the empty promises so common in many other programs. I have been in the health and fitness field for over two decades and am happy to endorse Momentum as a quality product that is based on science, and not just on hype."
Joseph Quatrochi, Ph.D.
Professor of Human Performance and Sport (HPS) at Metropolitan State College of Denver
The Science of Momentum Summary Report documents the benefits of using the Momentum System.
#1: ACSM Guidelines: Interval Recommendation
For the first time, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the most widely recognized authority on fitness guidelines, specifies "intervals" as an acceptable method of working toward improving cardiovascular fitness in their textbook, ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise and Prescription(ACSM Guidelines), 7 th Edition (2006 released May, 2005).
ACSM Guidelines: Interval Recommendation
The RESEARCH
· Interval Training: Lose 3 Times the Fat
· Interval Training: Burns up to 30% More Calories
· Interval Training: Results in Three 30-Minute Workouts Per Week
· Interval Training: Strengthens Heart and Lungs
· Interval Training: Builds Endurance
· Interval Training: Increases "After-Burn"
The Momentum Fitness & Weight Loss System combines a 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-minute No Excuses Workout with Interval Training techniques and a common-sense approach to nutrition and health.
4. Person behind this product
Jonathan Roche is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on heart rate-based interval training. Through his company, Breakthrough Health & Fitness, Jonathan promotes the use of heart-rate based interval workouts to achieve maximum fitness and weight loss results in the shortest period of time. Says Jonathan, “It’s not how hard you train. It’s how smart you train.”
Jonathan, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, is a certified personal trainer, an award-winning fitness video instructor, an 10-time Boston Marathon runner and an 12-time Ironman Triathlon finisher selected All-American by USA Triathlon in 2003. He has run 11 Boston Marathons as a member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute team.
Jonathan Roche BlogTalkRadio - see the recored Radio talk on the right side. If you listen to talkshow Very practical advice asking to park car couple minutes away in the office parking lot.
P.S: I found this Momentum Fitness when surfing BlogTalkRadio when on ZDNet
Omron HBF-500 Body Composition Monitor with Scale
Detailed Measurement
The weight display measures weight up to 300 pounds in .2-pound increments, while body fat percentage can be measured from 5 to 60 percent in .1 percent increments. Meanwhile, skeletal muscle percentage is measured from 5 to 50 percent, also in .1 increments. Visceral fat classifications are available, too; the device will tell you if your visceral fat levels are normal or high.
One of the keys to weight loss and management is tracking your body mass index, or BMI. The HBF-500 rates your BMI from 7.0 to 90.0 in .1 increments. BMI is classified at three levels: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. You can also assess your resting metabolism; the device measures your resting calorie consumption from 385 to 5000 kcal in .1 kcal increments.
User Review
162 of 169 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Scale with Bonsuses, January 18, 2007
By Jacob Hantla "hantla.org" (Chandler, AZ United States)
So what about the body fat monitor: As to the accuracy of the monitor I cannot speak. However, it is very consistent, much more consistent than the experience that I have had with the handheld-only monitors from Omron. The scale will calculate your percent body fat & your percent skeletal muscle. It will also give you a reading of your visceral body fat, which is a better indicator of your health risk associated with body fat (visceral body fat is the fat which is inside your body surrounding your organs, which subcutaneous fat is the fat that we all see just under our skin). Using these calculations and the user-defined height, weight, and age data that you enter, it will give you your resting metabolic energy needs for the day to give you an idea of how much you should be eating to lose weight in a healthy manner.
The weight display measures weight up to 300 pounds in .2-pound increments, while body fat percentage can be measured from 5 to 60 percent in .1 percent increments. Meanwhile, skeletal muscle percentage is measured from 5 to 50 percent, also in .1 increments. Visceral fat classifications are available, too; the device will tell you if your visceral fat levels are normal or high.
One of the keys to weight loss and management is tracking your body mass index, or BMI. The HBF-500 rates your BMI from 7.0 to 90.0 in .1 increments. BMI is classified at three levels: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. You can also assess your resting metabolism; the device measures your resting calorie consumption from 385 to 5000 kcal in .1 kcal increments.
User Review
162 of 169 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Scale with Bonsuses, January 18, 2007
By Jacob Hantla "hantla.org" (Chandler, AZ United States)
So what about the body fat monitor: As to the accuracy of the monitor I cannot speak. However, it is very consistent, much more consistent than the experience that I have had with the handheld-only monitors from Omron. The scale will calculate your percent body fat & your percent skeletal muscle. It will also give you a reading of your visceral body fat, which is a better indicator of your health risk associated with body fat (visceral body fat is the fat which is inside your body surrounding your organs, which subcutaneous fat is the fat that we all see just under our skin). Using these calculations and the user-defined height, weight, and age data that you enter, it will give you your resting metabolic energy needs for the day to give you an idea of how much you should be eating to lose weight in a healthy manner.
Heart Rate Monitor
What is a Heart Rate Monitor?
A heart rate monitor helps you measure the intensity of your workout. Most heart rate monitors come in two separate pieces – a chest band and a wrist watch.
Heart Rate Monitor - Q&A: Fitness Monitors
Knowing your heart rate is important because if you are working out too hard, your activity can become counter productive and strain muscles. To achieve an effective workout, no matter what the aerobic activity, you must maintain your heart rate at a proper level for a minimum of 20 minutes. The proper level is generally 65%-85% of your maximum heart rate. Mounting bracket to mount watch receiver to most treadmills and bicycles Time of day display and daily reminderalarm feature 1 year warranty
What is resting metabolism?
Resting metabolism is the energy to maintain vital functions and it counts 60 to 70% of total energy consumption. Knowing your resting metabolism can help your dietplan. If you can increase daily activity while keeping food intake at resting metabolism level, you can lose weight.
What is visceral fat?
Visceral fat is located around the organs. Too much visceral fat is thought to be closely linked to increased level of fat in the bloodstream, which can lead to common conditions such as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Sedentary life style causes excess visceral fat, and exercise can reduce it quicker than subcutaneous fat (fat located under skin).
What is skeletal muscle?
Skeletal muscle is muscle attached to the bones that is used to move the body. If you do weight loss without exercise, you may lose skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is important to maintain your resting metabolism as well as your functionality. Monitoring skeletal muscle during weight loss is key to avoid weight rebound in the future.
What is the Bioelectrical Impedance Method?
Bioelectrical Impedance (BI) is considered one of the most accurate and accessible methods of screening body fat. Muscles, blood vessels and bones are body tissues having a high water content that conduct electricity easily. Body fat is tissue that has little electric conductivity. The monitor sends an extremely weak electrical current through your body to determine the amount of fat tissue. The weak electrical current is not felt while operating the Body Fat Analyzer. The monitor is calculated by a formula that includes five factors; electric resistance, height, weight, age and gender.
A heart rate monitor helps you measure the intensity of your workout. Most heart rate monitors come in two separate pieces – a chest band and a wrist watch.
Heart Rate Monitor - Q&A: Fitness Monitors
Knowing your heart rate is important because if you are working out too hard, your activity can become counter productive and strain muscles. To achieve an effective workout, no matter what the aerobic activity, you must maintain your heart rate at a proper level for a minimum of 20 minutes. The proper level is generally 65%-85% of your maximum heart rate. Mounting bracket to mount watch receiver to most treadmills and bicycles Time of day display and daily reminderalarm feature 1 year warranty
What is resting metabolism?
Resting metabolism is the energy to maintain vital functions and it counts 60 to 70% of total energy consumption. Knowing your resting metabolism can help your dietplan. If you can increase daily activity while keeping food intake at resting metabolism level, you can lose weight.
What is visceral fat?
Visceral fat is located around the organs. Too much visceral fat is thought to be closely linked to increased level of fat in the bloodstream, which can lead to common conditions such as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Sedentary life style causes excess visceral fat, and exercise can reduce it quicker than subcutaneous fat (fat located under skin).
What is skeletal muscle?
Skeletal muscle is muscle attached to the bones that is used to move the body. If you do weight loss without exercise, you may lose skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is important to maintain your resting metabolism as well as your functionality. Monitoring skeletal muscle during weight loss is key to avoid weight rebound in the future.
What is the Bioelectrical Impedance Method?
Bioelectrical Impedance (BI) is considered one of the most accurate and accessible methods of screening body fat. Muscles, blood vessels and bones are body tissues having a high water content that conduct electricity easily. Body fat is tissue that has little electric conductivity. The monitor sends an extremely weak electrical current through your body to determine the amount of fat tissue. The weak electrical current is not felt while operating the Body Fat Analyzer. The monitor is calculated by a formula that includes five factors; electric resistance, height, weight, age and gender.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
A killer cold? Even the healthy may be vulnerable
A high school varsity athlete, a sturdy guy with a health history blissfully free of blips, 18-year-old Joseph Spencer had little reason to think anything was seriously wrong when he got sick last April.
The vomiting, chills, fever -- "It must be the flu," he thought.
Within hours, Spencer's fever was 104 degrees. Within days, he was in the intensive care unit at Providence Portland Medical Center in Oregon with full-blown pneumonia. Spencer's doctor was afraid this sturdy teenage boy was going to die.
"His lungs had filled up with water, it was hard to get oxygen into him," explains Dr. David Gilbert, an infectious disease expert and Spencer's physician at Providence. "Things got so bad, I thought we were at risk of losing him."
But as perplexing as what would make a hardy young man so sick -- so quickly -- was his diagnosis: adenovirus, the virus that usually causes nothing worse than a nasty cold.
"In the past, we considered adenovirus a 98-pound weakling," says Dr. Dean Erdman, leader of the respiratory diagnostic program at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. "But adenovirus is causing severe disease and, in some cases, death in normal, healthy people."
At least 1,035 people in Oregon and a handful of other states have been infected by adenovirus so far this year. One of the largest outbreaks was at an Air Force base in Texas.
Adenoviruses are ubiquitous, scrappy bugs -- they exist on everything from pens to countertops to inside our noses. They are spread through contact with a surface, or through the air we breathe. Most people won't suffer life-threatening illness if exposed to adenovirus 14, and that strain of the virus is still pretty rare, but since few people have antibodies to it, there's opportunity for a new virus to spread rapidly throughout the population.
"Adenoviruses kill people," says Gilbert, adding that when these infectious viruses do spread, they spread fast.
"We are asking physicians is to be alert, not to panic -- but be alert," says the CDC's Erdman, who stresses that influenza remains a much larger public health concern, killing and causing far more serious illness annually than adenovirus.
I never thought this would happen to me. You'd think it only happens to unhealthy people," he says, pausing to find the words to finish his sentence. "I always thought of myself as a healthy guy until this happened.
"People need to be aware there's a killer out there
The vomiting, chills, fever -- "It must be the flu," he thought.
Within hours, Spencer's fever was 104 degrees. Within days, he was in the intensive care unit at Providence Portland Medical Center in Oregon with full-blown pneumonia. Spencer's doctor was afraid this sturdy teenage boy was going to die.
"His lungs had filled up with water, it was hard to get oxygen into him," explains Dr. David Gilbert, an infectious disease expert and Spencer's physician at Providence. "Things got so bad, I thought we were at risk of losing him."
But as perplexing as what would make a hardy young man so sick -- so quickly -- was his diagnosis: adenovirus, the virus that usually causes nothing worse than a nasty cold.
"In the past, we considered adenovirus a 98-pound weakling," says Dr. Dean Erdman, leader of the respiratory diagnostic program at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. "But adenovirus is causing severe disease and, in some cases, death in normal, healthy people."
At least 1,035 people in Oregon and a handful of other states have been infected by adenovirus so far this year. One of the largest outbreaks was at an Air Force base in Texas.
Adenoviruses are ubiquitous, scrappy bugs -- they exist on everything from pens to countertops to inside our noses. They are spread through contact with a surface, or through the air we breathe. Most people won't suffer life-threatening illness if exposed to adenovirus 14, and that strain of the virus is still pretty rare, but since few people have antibodies to it, there's opportunity for a new virus to spread rapidly throughout the population.
"Adenoviruses kill people," says Gilbert, adding that when these infectious viruses do spread, they spread fast.
"We are asking physicians is to be alert, not to panic -- but be alert," says the CDC's Erdman, who stresses that influenza remains a much larger public health concern, killing and causing far more serious illness annually than adenovirus.
I never thought this would happen to me. You'd think it only happens to unhealthy people," he says, pausing to find the words to finish his sentence. "I always thought of myself as a healthy guy until this happened.
"People need to be aware there's a killer out there
Monday, December 10, 2007
Research a disease , support groups
As per Techcrunch post When you are sick or need to research a disease for an ailing relative, the two best places to go online are health search engines like Healthline or patient support group sites like Daily Strength
Astma on Health line
DailyStrength.org is the largest, most comprehensive health network of people sharing their advice, treatment experiences, and support. Keep a wellness journal, read members’ stories, and chat with new friends. Come in and explore! Join one of over 500 -
http://www.imedix.com/ a vertical health search engine with a patient-to-patient social network.
Astma on Health line
DailyStrength.org is the largest, most comprehensive health network of people sharing their advice, treatment experiences, and support. Keep a wellness journal, read members’ stories, and chat with new friends. Come in and explore! Join one of over 500 -
http://www.imedix.com/ a vertical health search engine with a patient-to-patient social network.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
8 Ways to Burn Calories and Fight Fat
These healthy habits may help give your body a calorie-burningboost.
For years, products have been marketed with the promise of helping you burn more calories. But is there really anything you can do to increase the number of calories your body burns each day?
Well, yes and no, experts say. The truth seems to be that the No. 1 way to burn more calories is the old-fashioned way -- by moving more.
"Essentially, we know of no way to burn more calories or up our metabolism than to move more," says Barry M. Popkin, PhD, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Still, research suggests that there may be a few other ways you can increase calorie burn. Here are eight possible ways to burn more calories and fight fat:
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, put it simply: "The more time spent exercising and the more vigorous the exercise, the more calories will be burned."
1. Exercise to Burn Calories
Indeed, obesity expert George Bray, MD, with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., believes that taking a brisk walk every day is probably the single most important piece of advice for anyone wanting to burn more calories.
- Obviously, when you exercise, your body burns calories to fuel your activity. But exercise is the gift that keeps on giving. That's because even after your workout has ended, your body is still burning more calories.
- While it's hard to pinpoint just how long this effect lasts (it varies depending on body composition and level of training), "it’s safe to say metabolic rate can be elevated with aerobic exercise for at least 24 hours," says Wharton.
-If you want to prolong this calorie-burning effect, Wharton advises exercising for longer periods.
- "Studies have shown that with increases in exercise time, the elevation in resting metabolic rate is prolonged," he says.
2. Do Strength Training to Build Muscle
- When you exercise, you use muscle. This helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories -- even when you're at rest -- than body fat. According to Wharton, 10 pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories.
- "The most effective way to increase metabolism and burn more calories is by aerobic exercise and strength training. Both are important," Megan A. McCrory, PhD, a researcher with the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University, says in an email interview.
- Strength training becomes especially important as we get older, when our metabolisms tend to slow down. One way to stop this is to add some strength training to your workout at least a couple of times a week. The largest muscles (and therefore the largest calorie burners) are in the thighs, abdomen, chest, and arms.
3. Drink 8 Cups of Water a Day
"Just about everything you call on your body to do burns calories, including absorbing and utilizing water while maintaining fluid balance (sometimes by excreting excess)," says Pope.
- Drinking almost eight cups of water (2 liters) may help burn nearly 100 extra calories a day, according to findings of a small study from Germany, notes Pope.
- That may not sound like much, but it could add up to 700 calories a week or 2,800 calories a month. And that's by doing something we should do anyway to keep our intestines and kidneys happy, and to help keep us from confusing thirst with hunger. (Pope does add a caution not to overdo it; it is possible to drink dangerous amounts of water.)
4. Drink Caffeinated Green or Black Tea
- About 75 calories per day translates to over 2,100 calories in a month’s time."
- When 31 healthy young men and women were given three servings of a beverage containing green tea catechins, caffeine, and calcium for three days, their 24-hour energy expenditure increased by 4.6%, according to the research from Lausanne University in Switzerland.
5. Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals
- It costs calories to fire up the human digestion machine, so it makes sense that the more small meals or snacks you eat through the day, the more calories you'd burn.
For years, products have been marketed with the promise of helping you burn more calories. But is there really anything you can do to increase the number of calories your body burns each day?
Well, yes and no, experts say. The truth seems to be that the No. 1 way to burn more calories is the old-fashioned way -- by moving more.
"Essentially, we know of no way to burn more calories or up our metabolism than to move more," says Barry M. Popkin, PhD, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Still, research suggests that there may be a few other ways you can increase calorie burn. Here are eight possible ways to burn more calories and fight fat:
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, put it simply: "The more time spent exercising and the more vigorous the exercise, the more calories will be burned."
1. Exercise to Burn Calories
Indeed, obesity expert George Bray, MD, with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., believes that taking a brisk walk every day is probably the single most important piece of advice for anyone wanting to burn more calories.
- Obviously, when you exercise, your body burns calories to fuel your activity. But exercise is the gift that keeps on giving. That's because even after your workout has ended, your body is still burning more calories.
- While it's hard to pinpoint just how long this effect lasts (it varies depending on body composition and level of training), "it’s safe to say metabolic rate can be elevated with aerobic exercise for at least 24 hours," says Wharton.
-If you want to prolong this calorie-burning effect, Wharton advises exercising for longer periods.
- "Studies have shown that with increases in exercise time, the elevation in resting metabolic rate is prolonged," he says.
2. Do Strength Training to Build Muscle
- When you exercise, you use muscle. This helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories -- even when you're at rest -- than body fat. According to Wharton, 10 pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories.
- "The most effective way to increase metabolism and burn more calories is by aerobic exercise and strength training. Both are important," Megan A. McCrory, PhD, a researcher with the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University, says in an email interview.
- Strength training becomes especially important as we get older, when our metabolisms tend to slow down. One way to stop this is to add some strength training to your workout at least a couple of times a week. The largest muscles (and therefore the largest calorie burners) are in the thighs, abdomen, chest, and arms.
3. Drink 8 Cups of Water a Day
"Just about everything you call on your body to do burns calories, including absorbing and utilizing water while maintaining fluid balance (sometimes by excreting excess)," says Pope.
- Drinking almost eight cups of water (2 liters) may help burn nearly 100 extra calories a day, according to findings of a small study from Germany, notes Pope.
- That may not sound like much, but it could add up to 700 calories a week or 2,800 calories a month. And that's by doing something we should do anyway to keep our intestines and kidneys happy, and to help keep us from confusing thirst with hunger. (Pope does add a caution not to overdo it; it is possible to drink dangerous amounts of water.)
4. Drink Caffeinated Green or Black Tea
- About 75 calories per day translates to over 2,100 calories in a month’s time."
- When 31 healthy young men and women were given three servings of a beverage containing green tea catechins, caffeine, and calcium for three days, their 24-hour energy expenditure increased by 4.6%, according to the research from Lausanne University in Switzerland.
5. Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals
- It costs calories to fire up the human digestion machine, so it makes sense that the more small meals or snacks you eat through the day, the more calories you'd burn.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Poultry, meat and seafood: How to's of high-protein foods
Poultry, meat and seafood — how to select, store and cook these high-protein foods.
Bacon and eggs for breakfast, a chicken sandwich for lunch, and steak and potatoes for dinner. Sound familiar?
Poultry and meat — beef, pork, lamb and veal — comprise the main portion of many people's diets. Besides being packed with protein, they're good sources of B vitamins, iron and zinc. But they can also be high in cholesterol, fat and calories, so enjoy these foods in moderation. Fish is high in protein, but low in saturated fat and cholesterol, making it a good substitute for poultry and meat.
- Poultry: Chicken and turkey
- Discover fish and shellfish
Bacon and eggs for breakfast, a chicken sandwich for lunch, and steak and potatoes for dinner. Sound familiar?
Poultry and meat — beef, pork, lamb and veal — comprise the main portion of many people's diets. Besides being packed with protein, they're good sources of B vitamins, iron and zinc. But they can also be high in cholesterol, fat and calories, so enjoy these foods in moderation. Fish is high in protein, but low in saturated fat and cholesterol, making it a good substitute for poultry and meat.
- Poultry: Chicken and turkey
- Discover fish and shellfish
Vegetables & Fruits
Main attraction: Fresh vegetables 10 ways
- You can transform ordinary vegetables into main-meal events. These 10 ideas can get you started.
- Vegetables are often relegated to the side of the plate, but they can easily stand alone or even become the featured food.
- Vegetables are actually quite versatile, and as a nutritional powerhouse, they can form the foundation of your healthy-eating plan. These 10 ideas can help you move vegetables from the side to the spotlight while adding interest and color to your healthy diet.
Color your diet: Fresh fruit 10 ways
- With little effort, you can transform fresh fruit into interesting and delicious creations. Here are 10 ways to reinvent these sweet options.
- Nature offers many sweet choices for eating well: juicy red cherries, plump purple plums, and orange, luscious tangerines, just to name a few. In fact, all fruits fit into a colorful and healthy diet
- You can transform ordinary vegetables into main-meal events. These 10 ideas can get you started.
- Vegetables are often relegated to the side of the plate, but they can easily stand alone or even become the featured food.
- Vegetables are actually quite versatile, and as a nutritional powerhouse, they can form the foundation of your healthy-eating plan. These 10 ideas can help you move vegetables from the side to the spotlight while adding interest and color to your healthy diet.
Color your diet: Fresh fruit 10 ways
- With little effort, you can transform fresh fruit into interesting and delicious creations. Here are 10 ways to reinvent these sweet options.
- Nature offers many sweet choices for eating well: juicy red cherries, plump purple plums, and orange, luscious tangerines, just to name a few. In fact, all fruits fit into a colorful and healthy diet
Whole grains: High in nutrition and fiber, yet low in fat
Whole grains: High in nutrition and fiber, yet low in fat
- Find out why whole grains are an essential component to your diet and ways to include more in your meals and snacks.
- Anatomy of a whole grain
- Whole grains vs. refined grains
- Ways to enjoy more whole grains
Whole grains Vs. Refined grains
* Barley
* Brown rice
* Buckwheat
* Bulgur (cracked wheat)
* Millet
* Oatmeal
* Popcorn
* Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers
* Wild rice
Refined Grains
* Corn flakes
* Couscous
* Enriched macaroni or spaghetti
* Grits
* Pretzels
* White bread
* White rice
- Find out why whole grains are an essential component to your diet and ways to include more in your meals and snacks.
- Anatomy of a whole grain
- Whole grains vs. refined grains
- Ways to enjoy more whole grains
Whole grains Vs. Refined grains
* Barley
* Brown rice
* Buckwheat
* Bulgur (cracked wheat)
* Millet
* Oatmeal
* Popcorn
* Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers
* Wild rice
Refined Grains
* Corn flakes
* Couscous
* Enriched macaroni or spaghetti
* Grits
* Pretzels
* White bread
* White rice
Legumes: Using beans, peas and lentils instead of meat
Legumes: Using beans, peas and lentils instead of meat
- Legumes — a low-fat, low-cholesterol substitute for meat.
- When was the last time you ate chickpeas, navy beans or black-eyed peas? Has it been days, weeks or even months?
Why eat legumes? Legumes — a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils — are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in protein, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also have phytochemicals, a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, they're a good source of fiber.
- Soybeans, one type of legume, are unique among beans because they contain all of the amino acids needed to make a complete protein, just like meat.
- Peanuts, commonly thought of as nuts, are actually a member of the legume family along with beans and peas. Peanuts are good sources of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, niacin and folate. They're high in fat, but most of the fat is monounsaturated fat — the healthier type of fat. Peanuts can be eaten in moderation as a snack, or added to foods such as stir-fries.
- # Add chickpeas or black beans to salads.
- # Snack on a handful of soy nuts rather than on chips or crackers.
- Legumes — a low-fat, low-cholesterol substitute for meat.
- When was the last time you ate chickpeas, navy beans or black-eyed peas? Has it been days, weeks or even months?
Why eat legumes? Legumes — a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils — are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in protein, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also have phytochemicals, a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, they're a good source of fiber.
- Soybeans, one type of legume, are unique among beans because they contain all of the amino acids needed to make a complete protein, just like meat.
- Peanuts, commonly thought of as nuts, are actually a member of the legume family along with beans and peas. Peanuts are good sources of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, niacin and folate. They're high in fat, but most of the fat is monounsaturated fat — the healthier type of fat. Peanuts can be eaten in moderation as a snack, or added to foods such as stir-fries.
- # Add chickpeas or black beans to salads.
- # Snack on a handful of soy nuts rather than on chips or crackers.
Food Pyramids
Pyramid given by Dr. WillettEat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating
-Review Summary: You would have a hard time finding someone in a better position to write this book. Dr. Willett is chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, a professor at Harvard Medical School, and he heads some of the most important long-term studies of how nutrition affects health. In this up-to-date book, you will learn what the latest research shows about how eating, alcohol use, exercise and not smoking can help you avoid some diseases and birth defects.
Healthy diet basics: Using a food pyramid
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