What are the latest and greatest health-related products? How can I spice up my ho-hum workout? Are the new nutritious food products and health-focused restaurants worth my money? If you're asking any of these questions you've found the right spot!Note: While I'm a journalist with a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology and am a Certified Health Education Specialist, I don't replace the guidance/counseling that comes from a good chat with your doctor or dietitian. For more information, feel free to contact me at karlaswalsh@gmail.com!
Healthful Bites
It’s been far too long since I shared some breaking research-related tips, so today, I’ve brought along three simple pointers to make your life healthier in a hurry!
Watch your salt intake when stressed. Higher concentrations of salt in the body lower stress hormones and raise levels of the “love hormone” oxytocin, says research in the Journal of Neuroscience. So we naturally seek out foods high in the seasoning to ease our anxiety. Feeling frazzled? It’s OK to indulge in a serving of a salty treat (Pop Chips are a favorite of mine), but try to stick with a single serving bag!- Add some high-intensity bursts. A new study published in the American Journal of Human Biology provides even more evidence about why interval training is good for us. Although the calorie burn was larger for study participants who sustained moderate exercise for a longer period (63 minutes of challenging exercise really can’t compare to 420 minutes of moderate activity in terms of caloric expenditure), the high-intensity participants improved their body composition, heart and lung function, blood pressure and insulin resistance at a similar level.
The take-home message? When you’re crunched for time, completing several challenging intervals can be a great way to keep your ticker and body healthy and is definitely better than skipping your workout! Fit in longer, more moderate sessions as much as possible. It’s all about balance :) - Make today “Fat Talk Free.” I struggle with this as much as any other girl—it’s not easy to be confident and feel comfortable in your skin everyday! But Psychology of Women Quarterly found that fat talk is surprisingly common: some 93 percent of college women do it. The study discovered that this bad habit, not surprisingly, doesn’t improve self-esteem and makes women more dissatisfied with their current shapes. “Women appear to believe that complaining about one’s body size with peers can relieve distress associated with body dissatisfaction. However, our findings suggest that such talk is associated with greater body dissatisfaction and thin-ideal internalization,” the authors say. Can you make it through today without saying—or thinking—something negative about your body? My 24-hour fat talk free stint starts now!
(Image from Taste of Home)
Leave your body a love note in the comments. What are you proud of?
