You had a baby later in life.
If you got pregnant naturally after age 44, you're about 15 percent less likely to die during any year after age 50 than your friends who had their babies before age 40, reports a recent University of Utah study. "If your ovaries are healthy and you are capable of having children at that age, that's a marker that you have genes operating that will help you live longer," says lead researcher Ken R. Smith, Ph.D., professor of human development at the university.
Your pulse beats 15 times in 15 seconds.
That equates to 60 beats per minute—or how many times a healthy heart beats at rest. Most people have resting rates between 60 and 100 bpm, though the closer to the lower end of the spectrum, the healthier. A slower pulse means your heart doesn't have to work as hard and could last longer, says Leslie Cho, M.D., director of the Women's Cardiovascular Center at the Cleveland Clinic.
You don't snore.
Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that causes you to stop breathing briefly because throat tissue collapses and blocks your airway. In severe cases, this can happen 60 to 70 times per hour. Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, and depression. An 18-year study found that people without OSA were three times more likely to live longer than those with severe apnea. If you snore and have excessive daytime drowsiness or mood changes, talk with your doctor about a referral to a sleep center.
You embrace techie trends.
Learn to Twitter or Skype to help keep brain cells young and healthy, says Sherri Snelling, senior director for Evercare (part of United-Healthcare), a group that sponsors an annual poll of U.S. centenarians. Many of the oldest Americans send e-mails, Google lost friends, and even date online. Researchers say using the latest technology helps keep us not only mentally spry but socially engaged: "Stay connected to friends, family, and current events, and you feel vital and relevant," says Snelling.
You started menopause after age 52.
Studies show that naturally experiencing it later can mean an increased life span. One reason: "Women who go through menopause late have a much lower risk of heart disease," says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.
You make every calorie count.
Researchers in St. Louis reported that men and women who limited their daily calories to 1,400 to 2,000 (about 25 percent fewer calories than those who followed a typical 2,000-to 3,000-calorie Western diet) were literally young at heart—their hearts functioned like those of people 15 years younger. "It's about not just eating less but getting the most nutrition per calorie," says study author Luigi Fontana, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Study subjects stuck to vegetables, whole grains, fat-free milk, and lean meat and nixed white bread, soda, and candy. If you cut empty calories and eat more nutrient-rich foods, your health will improve, says Fontana.
Showing posts with label You. Show all posts
Showing posts with label You. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
12 Surprising Signs You'll Live to 100 [1-6]
You're the life of the party.
Outgoing people are 50 percent less likely to develop dementia, according to a recent study of more than 500 men and women age 78 and older from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Participants also described themselves as not easily stressed. Researchers speculate that their more resilient brains may be due to lower levels of cortisol—studies show that oversecretion of this "stress hormone" can inhibit brain cells' communication. Science-backed ways to cut cortisol levels: Meditate, sip black tea, or take a nap.
You run for 40 minutes a day.
Scientists in California found that middle-aged people who did just that—for a total of about five hours per week—lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older; the researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years. "What surprised us is that the runners didn't just get less heart disease—they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurologic diseases, and infections," says study author Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Aerobic exercise keeps the immune system young." If you don't like to run, even 20 minutes a day of any activity that leaves you breathless can boost your health, she says.
You like raspberries in your oatmeal.
Most Americans eat 14 to 17 g of fiber per day; add just 10 g and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent, according to a Netherlands study. Dietary fiber helps reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost weight loss. One easy fix: Top your oatmeal (½ cup dry has 4 g fiber) with 1 cup of raspberries (8 g) and you get 12 g of fiber in just one meal.
Try some of these other potent fiber-rich foods: ½ cup of 100 percent bran cereal (8.8 g), ½ cup of cooked lentils (7.8 g), ½ cup of cooked black beans (7.5 g), one medium sweet potato (4.8 g), one small pear (4.3 g).
You feel 13 years younger than you are.
That's what older people in good health said in a recent survey of more than 500 men and women age 70 and older. "Feeling youthful is linked to better health and a longer life," says researcher Jacqui Smith, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. "It can improve optimism and motivation to overcome challenges, which helps reduce stress and boost your immune system and ultimately lowers your risk of disease."
You have a (relatively) flat belly after menopause.
Women who are too round in the middle are 20 percent more likely to die sooner (even if their body mass index is normal), according to a National Institute on Aging study. At midlife, it takes more effort to keep waists trim because shifting hormones cause most extra weight to settle in the middle. If your waist measures 35 inches or more (for men, 40 inches or more), take these steps:
Work two or three 20-minute strength-training sessions into your weekly exercise regimen to preserve lean muscle mass and rev metabolism.
Eat a daily serving of omega-3s to help combat inflammation and seven daily servings of fruits and vegetables, loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants.
Get 25 percent of your daily calories from healthy fats—such as monounsaturated fatty acids—which protect your heart and may help you store less fat in your belly (for a 1,600-calorie diet, that's 44 g).
You get your blood tested for vitamin D levels.
For optimal disease protection, we need at least 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood, reports a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Nearly 80 percent of Americans have less than that. Vitamin D not only helps bones ward off osteoporosis but may also reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and infection, says lead researcher Adit A. Ginde, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. If needed, you can take a daily supplement to get your numbers up. Doctors can measure your levels with a simple blood test, but periodic monitoring may be necessary—vitamin D turns toxic at 100 to 150 ng/mL.
Outgoing people are 50 percent less likely to develop dementia, according to a recent study of more than 500 men and women age 78 and older from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Participants also described themselves as not easily stressed. Researchers speculate that their more resilient brains may be due to lower levels of cortisol—studies show that oversecretion of this "stress hormone" can inhibit brain cells' communication. Science-backed ways to cut cortisol levels: Meditate, sip black tea, or take a nap.
You run for 40 minutes a day.
Scientists in California found that middle-aged people who did just that—for a total of about five hours per week—lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older; the researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years. "What surprised us is that the runners didn't just get less heart disease—they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurologic diseases, and infections," says study author Eliza Chakravarty, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Aerobic exercise keeps the immune system young." If you don't like to run, even 20 minutes a day of any activity that leaves you breathless can boost your health, she says.
You like raspberries in your oatmeal.
Most Americans eat 14 to 17 g of fiber per day; add just 10 g and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent, according to a Netherlands study. Dietary fiber helps reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost weight loss. One easy fix: Top your oatmeal (½ cup dry has 4 g fiber) with 1 cup of raspberries (8 g) and you get 12 g of fiber in just one meal.
Try some of these other potent fiber-rich foods: ½ cup of 100 percent bran cereal (8.8 g), ½ cup of cooked lentils (7.8 g), ½ cup of cooked black beans (7.5 g), one medium sweet potato (4.8 g), one small pear (4.3 g).
You feel 13 years younger than you are.
That's what older people in good health said in a recent survey of more than 500 men and women age 70 and older. "Feeling youthful is linked to better health and a longer life," says researcher Jacqui Smith, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. "It can improve optimism and motivation to overcome challenges, which helps reduce stress and boost your immune system and ultimately lowers your risk of disease."
You have a (relatively) flat belly after menopause.
Women who are too round in the middle are 20 percent more likely to die sooner (even if their body mass index is normal), according to a National Institute on Aging study. At midlife, it takes more effort to keep waists trim because shifting hormones cause most extra weight to settle in the middle. If your waist measures 35 inches or more (for men, 40 inches or more), take these steps:
Work two or three 20-minute strength-training sessions into your weekly exercise regimen to preserve lean muscle mass and rev metabolism.
Eat a daily serving of omega-3s to help combat inflammation and seven daily servings of fruits and vegetables, loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants.
Get 25 percent of your daily calories from healthy fats—such as monounsaturated fatty acids—which protect your heart and may help you store less fat in your belly (for a 1,600-calorie diet, that's 44 g).
You get your blood tested for vitamin D levels.
For optimal disease protection, we need at least 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood, reports a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Nearly 80 percent of Americans have less than that. Vitamin D not only helps bones ward off osteoporosis but may also reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and infection, says lead researcher Adit A. Ginde, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. If needed, you can take a daily supplement to get your numbers up. Doctors can measure your levels with a simple blood test, but periodic monitoring may be necessary—vitamin D turns toxic at 100 to 150 ng/mL.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
America's Worst Lunches—And What You Should Eat Instead
A healthy lunch can help you maximize the afternoon, but if you are in a hurry to get and go, you can not take the time to sort through the menu hits and misses. Let Eat This, is not it! folks to be efficiency experts: Do NOT order the following items. Participation Status instead of the less outrageous options (also below), and reap the benefits of the bonus time.
QUIZNO'S
Large Prime Rib Teak Cheese Sub
1490 calories
92 g fat (22.5 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2620 mg sodium
Fat accordingly: As eating 4 Dunkin Donuts cheese danish!
It is difficult to do NOK argument for a cheese Danish, but four? And we're only talking fat here-with more than 800 calories of things in just one sandwich. You also fill up with more than a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. Although this is one of the worst you could choose, the rest of Quizno menu also has risks. But if colleagues insist on eating there, order:
Small Turkey Ranch and Swiss Sub
410 calories
17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1230 mg sodium
Chili's
Crazy Sweet Chile glazed Chicken Crisp
1930 calories
112 g fat (17 g saturated)
4190 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating an entire medium Pizza Hut 12 "pepperoni pizza!
If you have time for a sit-down meal, you have the time to think through. Chicken Crisp is fun, but accounts for almost a whole day's worth of calories and almost two days worth of sodium. Your smarter option is to eat this instead:
Classic Chicken fajitas
370 calories
11 g fat (1.5 saturated)
2000 mg sodium
And other tips for a healthy sit down lunch: forgo the appetizers. Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing made the top of our list when we rounded up the worst starters money can buy. Watch the other appetizer land mines here. You will be shocked.
ARBY'S
Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich
817 calories
37 g fat (11 g saturated 0.5 g trans)
2146 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating 23 Thin Mints (a whole sleeve)!
Just because you can make your home does not mean it is good for you when you order it from home the Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich Service packs almost half your daily allowance of calories and almost a whole day's dose of sodium. Does not much room for anything else, does it?
Eat this instead:
Sourdough Melt roast beef
351 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
1048 mg sodium
Dairy QUEEN
Chicken Strip Basket with Country gravy (6 piece)
1640 calories
74 g fat (12 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3690 mg sodium
Sodium equivalent: Like eating 11 large orders of McDonald's French fries!
Talk about a value meal: One Chicken Strip Basket gives you almost two days' payload of sodium! If you think about it does not raise your blood pressure, eat the can. Do not be a statistic.
Eat this instead:
Crazy Chicken Sandwich
560 calories
28 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
980 mg sodium
Breaded
Italian Combo on ciabatte sandwich
1050 calories
47 g fat (18 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3050 mg sodium
Fat accordingly: By eating 6 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza!
You were on the right track in selecting Breaded, but not be sidelined by the lure of the Italian Combo. Ciabatte bread may sound advanced, but you will not look as refined as you lugging that spare Pirelli around the midsection.
Eat this instead:
Smoked Turkey breast sandwich on Sourdough
470 calories
17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1680 mg sodium
CHIPOTLE
13 "Tortilla with beef, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream and salad
955 calories
38 g fat (18 g saturated)
1600 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating 37 Hershey's Kisses!
The good news about this Tortilla is that it contains 56 grams of protein, but it is hardly worth the outrageous calorie and carbohydrate-load with 94 grams of carb you have already covered a third of the recommended daily intake, and you are taken in almost a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. Down to drop pounds.
Eat this instead:
Three hard trip with beef, Pinto beans, sour cream and salad
615 calories
24 g fat (11 g saturated)
710 mg sodium
(Another tip: When it comes to Chipotle chips, just say "no". They are an outrageous 570 calories and 73 grams of extra carb.)
Hardee's
2/3-lb Monster Thickburger
1420 calories
108 g fat (43 g saturated)
2770 mg sodium
Saturated fat equivalent: Like eating 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon!
It is called the Monster for a reason. It is a monster load of saturated fat (more than two days left). The good news is that it has a friendlier, healthier cousin in 1/3-lb Low-carb Thickburger, with 1,000 fewer calories and a third the amount of fat. Even better, the Low-carb Thickburger is true of the name it has only 5 grams of quick-burning carbohydrates, compared with 46 grams of Monster.
Eat this instead:
1/3-lb Low-carb Thickburger
420 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated)
1010 mg sodium
Burger King
Triple Whopper Sandwich with cheese and mayo
1250 calories
84 g fat (32 g saturated 2.5 g trans)
1600 mg sodium
Fat equivalent: Like eating 10 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza!
You should know now not to order a triple something. In this case you can egregious calorie, fat and sodium overload. It is not bad, but compared with the shocks on our list of the trans-fattiest food in America. Choose a regular cheeseburger instead and slash 920 calories, 68 g of fat, and save yourself from the judgmental stares of your colleagues, which is three times as likely to be grossed out!
Eat this instead:
Cheeseburger
330 calories
16 g fat (7 g saturated 0.5 g trans)
780 mg sodium
QUIZNO'S
Large Prime Rib Teak Cheese Sub
1490 calories
92 g fat (22.5 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2620 mg sodium
Fat accordingly: As eating 4 Dunkin Donuts cheese danish!
It is difficult to do NOK argument for a cheese Danish, but four? And we're only talking fat here-with more than 800 calories of things in just one sandwich. You also fill up with more than a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. Although this is one of the worst you could choose, the rest of Quizno menu also has risks. But if colleagues insist on eating there, order:
Small Turkey Ranch and Swiss Sub
410 calories
17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1230 mg sodium
Chili's
Crazy Sweet Chile glazed Chicken Crisp
1930 calories
112 g fat (17 g saturated)
4190 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating an entire medium Pizza Hut 12 "pepperoni pizza!
If you have time for a sit-down meal, you have the time to think through. Chicken Crisp is fun, but accounts for almost a whole day's worth of calories and almost two days worth of sodium. Your smarter option is to eat this instead:
Classic Chicken fajitas
370 calories
11 g fat (1.5 saturated)
2000 mg sodium
And other tips for a healthy sit down lunch: forgo the appetizers. Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing made the top of our list when we rounded up the worst starters money can buy. Watch the other appetizer land mines here. You will be shocked.
ARBY'S
Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich
817 calories
37 g fat (11 g saturated 0.5 g trans)
2146 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating 23 Thin Mints (a whole sleeve)!
Just because you can make your home does not mean it is good for you when you order it from home the Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich Service packs almost half your daily allowance of calories and almost a whole day's dose of sodium. Does not much room for anything else, does it?
Eat this instead:
Sourdough Melt roast beef
351 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
1048 mg sodium
Dairy QUEEN
Chicken Strip Basket with Country gravy (6 piece)
1640 calories
74 g fat (12 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3690 mg sodium
Sodium equivalent: Like eating 11 large orders of McDonald's French fries!
Talk about a value meal: One Chicken Strip Basket gives you almost two days' payload of sodium! If you think about it does not raise your blood pressure, eat the can. Do not be a statistic.
Eat this instead:
Crazy Chicken Sandwich
560 calories
28 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
980 mg sodium
Breaded
Italian Combo on ciabatte sandwich
1050 calories
47 g fat (18 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3050 mg sodium
Fat accordingly: By eating 6 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza!
You were on the right track in selecting Breaded, but not be sidelined by the lure of the Italian Combo. Ciabatte bread may sound advanced, but you will not look as refined as you lugging that spare Pirelli around the midsection.
Eat this instead:
Smoked Turkey breast sandwich on Sourdough
470 calories
17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1680 mg sodium
CHIPOTLE
13 "Tortilla with beef, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream and salad
955 calories
38 g fat (18 g saturated)
1600 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating 37 Hershey's Kisses!
The good news about this Tortilla is that it contains 56 grams of protein, but it is hardly worth the outrageous calorie and carbohydrate-load with 94 grams of carb you have already covered a third of the recommended daily intake, and you are taken in almost a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. Down to drop pounds.
Eat this instead:
Three hard trip with beef, Pinto beans, sour cream and salad
615 calories
24 g fat (11 g saturated)
710 mg sodium
(Another tip: When it comes to Chipotle chips, just say "no". They are an outrageous 570 calories and 73 grams of extra carb.)
Hardee's
2/3-lb Monster Thickburger
1420 calories
108 g fat (43 g saturated)
2770 mg sodium
Saturated fat equivalent: Like eating 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon!
It is called the Monster for a reason. It is a monster load of saturated fat (more than two days left). The good news is that it has a friendlier, healthier cousin in 1/3-lb Low-carb Thickburger, with 1,000 fewer calories and a third the amount of fat. Even better, the Low-carb Thickburger is true of the name it has only 5 grams of quick-burning carbohydrates, compared with 46 grams of Monster.
Eat this instead:
1/3-lb Low-carb Thickburger
420 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated)
1010 mg sodium
Burger King
Triple Whopper Sandwich with cheese and mayo
1250 calories
84 g fat (32 g saturated 2.5 g trans)
1600 mg sodium
Fat equivalent: Like eating 10 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza!
You should know now not to order a triple something. In this case you can egregious calorie, fat and sodium overload. It is not bad, but compared with the shocks on our list of the trans-fattiest food in America. Choose a regular cheeseburger instead and slash 920 calories, 68 g of fat, and save yourself from the judgmental stares of your colleagues, which is three times as likely to be grossed out!
Eat this instead:
Cheeseburger
330 calories
16 g fat (7 g saturated 0.5 g trans)
780 mg sodium
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