Healthful Bites

4 Mar 2010

(Not so) Crystal Clear

It’s Getting Salty

An overabundance of salt in the diet kills about 100,000 people each year, the director of the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says.

New York City and its mayor Michael Bloomberg are spearheading the National Salt Reduction Initiative, aiming to decrease intake by 20 percent over five years.

And several health researchers are touting the benefits of cutting back on what seems to be public enemy number one lately: table salt.

The British have put in place a salt reduction campaign and an Annals of Internal Medicine study guessed that if the U.S. utilized the same plan, the country would save more than $32 billion in healthcare costs.

A September 2009 study estimated that the healthcare savings caused by all Americans ingesting the daily recommended 2,300-2,400 mg. (or about 1 tsp.) per day would be about $18 billion. In January 2010, other scientists placed the figure around $24 million.

Regardless of the financial figures, the sodium police say an additional 300,000 collective years of life would be added. Many public health professionals suggest that America tackles the salt issue via community-based interventions, perhaps even involving a salt tax. Opponents claim that taking out the salt will only lead diners to seek out foods higher in sugar and/or fat.

While looking around at restaurants, it’s fascinating to see the varied uses/opinions about the purpose of salt. Some act like the shaker is not even on the table, while others sprinkle with reckless abandon before even tasting a bit off the plate as it arrives from the kitchen. The shakers may not actually be the main health crime, however.

(Image from the Sydney Morning Herald)

The American Heart Association reports that about 75 percent of American salt intake originates in processed foods. The main culprits? Canned foods and soups, frozen pizza, salad dressing, processed meats (see below) and many restaurant foods, even before they hit your table. Pre-made foods are often extra salty to prevent spoilage and enhance the savory, or bring out the sweet, tastes.

So this begs the question, what is the purpose of salt in your life? Is it a habit, a flavor enhancer or only a processed food ingredient? Do you think the public health agencies should start regulating salt amounts in foods for sale?

Here’s a quiz question to test your salty knowledge. I’ll post the answer in the comments!

How many milligrams of salt does the average American consume each day, according to Stanford University researchers? Remember, the recommended amount is around 2,300-2,400 mg.

A. 2,500 mg.

B. 2,800 mg.

C. 3,900 mg.

D. 4,300 mg.

E. As much salt as is in the tears streaming down their face because they’re so sad about the pending sodium regulations.

I’ve rattled on in such detail about the sodium debate, let’s just get right to the what?! news of the week…

Water cooler conversation starter: Public enemy number two? Hot dogs (which also have their fair share of sodium)!

The media was all over the story about the American Academy of Pediatrics suggesting a weenie redesign because of the choking hazard. In fact, hot dogs even made TIME’s list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Foods—they were cited as the cause of 17 percent of child choking incidents.

Little did the Academy know, a choke-free (and ridiculous) dog—was
already for sale at Big Hot Dog. In fact, the seven-plus pound meat ropes, meant to be sliced and cooked like hamburgers, are 10 dollars off right now. Coincidence?

No. Joke. (Image from Big Hot Dog)

When I was a kid, the fancy hot dog redesign involved this tricky equation: Mom + knife + cut in half long ways + cut into coins = no choking for Karla. Voila!

I’m still a little fishy about what exactly goes into a hot dog anyways. If you know, feel free to spare me the details ;) I’ll stick with a veggie burger!

Do you think a frank redesign is in order?

25 Feb 2010

Blank Boxes?

Another Label Spat…

As we discussed in the infancy of my blog, Smart Choices is/was a quite controversial new food labeling program. Shortly after it hit the market, Smart Choices was shelved—most likely due to legal issues.

This incident seemed to tear open the top (and apparently the sides) of the chip bag. Since then, health advocates have been openly sharing their feelings about label claims. Marion Nestle and Dr. David Ludwig recently published a commentary about this topic in the Journal of the American Medical Association proposing that all front-of-package nutrition claims be banned.

Nestle and Ludwig believe that no processed foods can possibly be as nutritious as natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. No fight from me there, but it’s unlikely that all Americans will eat a solely unprocessed diet. The pair also wrote that it is misleading for packaged foods to be marketed based on one quality alone (for example, sugary cereals fortified with nutrients). I can see that.

But is it really the government’s place to regulate how food manufacturers do business? What a perplexing situation! With the way some label zealots are leaning, soon foods may be sold in nearly blank boxes and bags. America is dealing with an obesity issue of epic proportions, increasing health care costs and possibly placing a burden on the medical infrastructure. So the government is affected by the nation’s collective expanding waistlines, but is targeting food labeling the best place to focus energy in the bulge battle?

How do you feel about package-front labels? Do they impact what lands in your grocery cart?

(Cartoon from Team VA Fitness—a bit exaggerated but fitting to the commentary ;) )

Up in Smoke

In a health-related version of the classic “chicken or egg” situation, a new Israeli study found that non-smokers had an higher average intelligence quotient than their smoking peers. And the more you smoke, the more your IQ numbers drop (even after accounting for socioeconomic status variability) . But does the smoking cause a decrease in intelligence or are people who begin with lower IQs more likely to take up smoking? Hard to say…

The researchers looked at more than 20,000 young men enlisted in the military. Twenty eight percent smoked at least one cigarette per day and about 68 percent had never taken a drag. Non-smokers average IQ was approximately 101. Soldiers who smoked one to five cigarettes each day was about 98. How about those who smoked a pack or more? They averaged IQs around 90.

After comparing intelligence levels of 70 pairs brothers in the service and the study, one who smoked and one who abstained, the researchers still noted a higher IQ among the non-smokers. “The findings suggest that lower IQ individuals are more likely to choose to smoke, rather than that smoking makes people less intelligent, Weiser and his team conclude (Reuters, 2010.”

Which do you believe came first, the smoke or the shortsightedness?

(Image from Contempster)

Hey, is that Sarah Palin’s hand? Get it? The palm writing? :D Just kidding of course.

By the way, this week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. If you heard my first interview on the Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy show, you know that this cause is close to my heart. If not, here’s a story I was interviewed for that aired on a local TV station for NEDAwareness week a few years ago. If you would like more information or need guidance, click on over.
(Image from NationalEatingDisorders.org)

Water cooler conversation starter: As the 2010 Olympics wrap up, my mind wanders to the next games. Others are thinking ahead as well—petitioning a new “sport” to join the summer Olympic events. What’s the new proposed competition? Pole Dancing! Thoughts?

18 Feb 2010

Extra Large-Style Spoiling by Grandma

Grandmas Gorging Kids?

As the economy continues to be an issue, parents may turn to childcare methods that save cash. No one better, safer and more affordable than grandma, right? Maybe not if you’re worried about your child’s obesity risk, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity found.

Researchers found that childcare by grandma can make tots 15 percent more likely to become overweight, compared to three year olds who were watched solely by their parents or by a daycare agency. When grandparents raised children full-time, the youngsters were about 34 percent more likely to be overweight. Perhaps these kids are “spoiled rotten?”

Interestingly, the children who were overweight after grandma-care were more likely to come from advantaged backgrounds (well-educated, two parent homes). In these situations, grandparents are probably well-off also—so they have more spare cash to take little Johnny out for a cupcake or buy ingredients to bake them as a project at home.

But that’s just my hypothesis as to why this phenomenon exists. Do you have any guesses about why Grandma babysitting may increase a child’s weight?

(Image from EBohling)

Good Sports

Title IX, the act that required the same athletic opportunities for male and female students in American publicly-funded schools, has been a hot-button issue since the amendment was proposed in 1972. Critics said, “If girls aren’t interested in some sports, why should boys be penalized and forfeit their teams so sport offerings are even?” Even now, it’s hard to say whether the government needs to regulate local athletic opportunities.

But there may have been a greater benefit from encouraging female team sports than originally considered. Two new studies have found that young women who participated in sports when young were higher achievers later in life.

After analyzing several individual factors and accounting for other variables, one study found that Title IX may have caused changes that led to a 20 percent increase in women’s education as well as a 40 percent jump in employment for young women.

Another study compared women before and after the Title was enacted. These researchers discovered that the rise in female sport participation, associated with Title IX, made women seven percent less likely to become obese two decades after their athletic endeavors.

So get out there and hit the courts, fields, tracks, etc. ladies—your wallet and waistline may thank you down the road!

(By the way, strong showing in varsity sport participation by my home state, Iowa. Way to go team!)

(Image from Dads and Daughters)

Water cooler conversation starter: A double barrel banana was discovered by a man in the UK. A great two-for-one deal for this man who often has a banana a day! This is one of those stories that initially seems interesting, then makes you question: “This is news?”

And what goes great with bananas? Why pancakes of course, and this week is Pancake Week. Let’s celebrate by listening to Jack Johnson and holding a Pancake Race!

11 Feb 2010

Thumbs Up: Coupons, Thumbs Down: Commercials

Blame It On the A-a-a-ads

OK, let’s get the bad news out of the way first…commercials can increase obesity rates in youth. Interestingly, the total amount of TV children watched had little effect. But the more advertising the small fries see during that TV time, the more likely they are to be overweight, UCLA researchers found.

Children generally squirm and wiggle around while watching the tube, so they can rack up a bit of physical activity while viewing, the researchers noted. Also, kids who watch sports may be inspired to try them out themselves. A moderate amount of regular programming gets the green light from these scientists, while the commercials take the blame for the commonly discussed TV/weight gain link.

Foods high in sugar and fast foods account for nearly three in every four food ads during children’s programming, another study found. That’s what the UCLA researchers think is the issue, especially since youngsters see about 30 hours of food-focused ads each year.

Time for a TiVo to skip through the commercials? Or perhaps a distraction: my commercial/TV workout!

(Image from Kiwi Mag Online)

Discount in Aisle One

Now for the good news: when shoppers can get a deal on fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, they buy more than one pound more of produce per week! Research in the past has shown that lowering the price of more nutritious foods persuades eaters to bypass the less healthy options, but this study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adds another interesting component. The rise in produce purchases may actually stay in place even after the prices return to their previous (higher) levels. Shoppers created new, positive habits or found new favorites!

In this New Zealand-based study, shoppers either received discounts on healthful foods, nutrition education, a combination of discounts with education or no treatment (control). Those saving cash received markdowns of 12.5 percent. The discount group bought almost two pounds more healthy food than their educated and control group peers and continued to do so even six months after the study ended. In this experiment, nutrition education did little to improve shopper’s eating habits.

Perhaps, eventually, instead of subsidizing in the current method, the government, farmers and dietitians/physicians can team up to create a new plan to subsidize more nutritious fruits and vegetables? These results seem to show that people shop more with their wallets in mind than their stomachs or brains.

With the current economy, do you think the results of this study may be different today than, say, ten years ago? Do you have any creative ideas for pushing shoppers towards smarter purchases (and steer clear of the Big Gulp and Family Size bag of pork rinds?)

(Image from EL Civics)

And just a friendly reminder to all of you who got walloped with a massive snow storm this past week (or past two or three weeks…), be careful and safe out there when shoveling! If you use proper form, are in decent condition and take fairly frequent breaks, shoveling can be an excellent workout, however.

Water cooler conversation starter: In what could be one of the most disturbing TV show concepts ever, BBC is launching a series called “I’m Hotter Than My Daughter.” Women that are nearly Grandmas brag about their attractiveness and desirability—which they claim is much more apparent in themselves than their offspring. If that doesn’t spark insecurity in the daughters I don’t know what will! But that’s only my opinion.

Would you watch this show? Is it harmless fun or a sign that society is headed down the drain?

4 Feb 2010

Size Matters

Weighing Perfect Performance

Many consider it a big fitness performance boon to be as light as possible—less drag on bikes, less weight to carry while running or less opponent to go up against in wrestling. But a new book is confirming what some athletes have been privy to for years: skinniest is not always best.

When you weigh less, you do reduce gravitational pull. In fact, researchers at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut found that each one percent drop in weight corresponds to a one percent improvement in athletic performance. However, dropping the pounds seems to only improve your exercise output up to a certain point. After you lose too many el-bees your body starts almost “eating” your muscle tissue for energy. This makes recovery much more difficult, plus the muscles are not nearly as efficient because they cannot take in as much oxygen as they can at their optimal performance level.

Interestingly, this acme is different for everyone. A certain percentage of body fat or weight to height ratio cannot predict at which weight each person will be most athletically capable. Even professional athletes must withstand trial and error, the book “Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance,” reports.

For the average person seeking health, it probably matters little at which weight you perform your absolute best. Anyways, feeling positive about your body’s abilities (even if you’re not Usain Bolt or Lance Armstrong) is more important than setting world records, right?

(Image from Clker.com)

Plastic Surgery Surprise

Before reading on, take a second and guess which elective surgery showed the highest rate of growth in the past year…Perhaps nose jobs? Breast implants? The combo platter?

It turns out that male breast reduction surgery is tops when it comes to the fastest growing plastic surgery procedures. Why are men worried so much about the “moobs” as some call them? Scientists from the British Association of Plastic Surgery, who have been researching this surgical phenomenon, believe men’s magazines and media images may be to blame.

While the large majority (about 90 percent) of plastic surgeries performed by members of the Association were for women, the amount of male breast reduction surgeries surged by 80 percent compared to the previous year. It seems that these procedures seem to be recession-proof.

I understand that this could be an embarrassing situation that some men struggle with, but I would much rather consistently knock out push ups than deal with the recovery pain—not to mention the hospital bill!

What do you think is the cause for the surge in male breast reduction surgeries? How much pain would you be willing to endure to feel comfortable in your own skin?

Not just for the ladies…

(Image from The Los Angeles Times)

Water cooler conversation starter: A nine-year-old girl (yes NINE, so young Associated Press style says I need to spell it out!) gave birth to a healthy baby boy in China late last month. This baby gave birth to a baby on the same day as abstinence-only sex education programs came under fire due to an increase in teen pregnancies. But another report, released days later, found that abstinence-only programs do successfully decrease sexual activity.

Your thoughts on this touchy subject?

28 Jan 2010

Playing Catch Up

It’s been one of those weeks for me that, no matter how much is accomplished, always leaves you feeling two steps behind. I’ve been enjoying my internship, but with commuting, a full-time position and other obligations (or more like other things I’ve opted to do) I definitely don’t have as much time to exercise, blog, tweet and sleep as I previously did.

I know what you’re thinking: “Karla, quit your whining.” So that’s exactly what I’m going to do! In lieu of the longer discussions about a couple articles, I’m going to post links to several interesting health-related stories that have intrigued me in the past seven days.

Feeling pained? Take a deep breath. New research says that slow, full breaths can reduce pain!

Excessive antioxidant intake may actually hamper your body—making it harder for your muscles to work. More research is needed, but the scientists involved recommend sticking with naturally antioxidant-filled foods rather than antioxidant-supplemented products or antioxidant pills.

Whole Foods is taking an unconventional way to promote healthier employees: offering higher percentage employee discounts to their workers who have body mass indexes within the healthy range, abstain from smoking and maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This commentary makes an interesting point though—wouldn’t it be important for those that are currently less healthy to have good access to Whole Foods nutritious offerings (like those above)?

“I can’t die…it would be bad for my image.” Gotta love Jack LaLanne. If he can get out and exercise at age 95, nearly everyone can!

In other news, don’t forget to sign up to win the Progresso Prize Pack by Saturday. You have killer chances of winning and all it takes is one easy comment. While you’re checking out some of my previous posts, go ahead and “pop a comment” (as the terrific Two Fit Chicks say) on my Pump Recipe Showdown!

Water cooler conversation starter: A Chicago real estate company, Magellan Development Group, has a fascinating corporate wellness program. Employees set health goals and pick a fitness event to train for (participation has always been 100 percent!). They then prepare with a co-worker for accountability and team-building and eventually complete the event. Magellan gives employees goodies such as T-shirts, water bottles and coupons to keep them motivated throughout training and all participants who meet their goals receive bonuses.

Would a program such as this motivate you to be active? How could your workplace, school or family do something similar?

21 Jan 2010

Hit the Willpower Wall?

Yes WE Can

Now is the time that many New Year’s resolutions (if you made one) hit a stumbling block. The novelty has worn off, the effort seems to hit home and it seems all-around simpler to revert back to the old ways of doing things. So what’s the solution?

Hang out with your most self controlled pals, University of Georgia researchers say. A strong will, or the absence of a strong will, can rub off on those around you. Heck, you don’t even have to be near the stubborn person—you just have to think about them. This makes sense: if your significant other wants to order the fried ravioli appetizer at dinner, you’re much more likely to eat some than if you didn’t have the spicy, meaty aroma wafting towards your nose. And if your roommate buys a new yoga DVD, it’s much easier to join her than to travel to the gym; plus you may feel a bit guilty watching her stretch and tone from the comfort of a couch.

Before this series of studies, scientists knew that negative behaviors spread across populations (smoking, for example), but this has proven that positive conduct can be passed along as quickly as H1N1.

Do you feel that your pals and family members share their habits with you after spending some time together? Or do you do more of the “rubbing” and influence your peers?

(Image from Pandavas)

It’s All About the Frames

If you’re seeking to boost your motivation on your own, new research published in the Journal of Personality and Psychology says it may be time to mentally reframe your task. First, it’s important to determine whether you are motivated by achievement/excellence or pleasure/happiness. Then, you can tell yourself that the task you need to complete will provide those feelings or sensations for you.

This means that two people can find the same to-do item drastically different—like how some think of exercise as a chore while others revel in the mood boost sweating gives them.

Personally, I know that I would much rather win at something, get an “A” or make my parents proud by getting an award than do that same thing for enjoyment. It must be the competitor in me :) But I do find that other tasks, such as working out, I do grab some endorphins and feel more positive about my body. Maybe I’m a bit of both?

Do you fall into either one of these motivational categories? What do you say to yourself to stay on the healthy living track?

(Image from 100 Musical Footsteps)

Water cooler conversation starter: One woman published in The New York Times thinks that food plays too large of a role in children’s lives…what with the post-game ice cream sandwiches, birthday treat candy bars and classroom donut celebrations. Do you think that society has changed recently to make food a larger player in young lives? And is this only a youth issue, or an issue for society as a whole?

14 Jan 2010

Quiz Me!

Today marks my second appearance on the Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy show. Dr. Adam and Lee were kind enough to invite me back as a regular guest on the show—so exciting! For this interview, I decided to turn the tables and pose some questions to the hosts about health news, trends and findings a la my “good for you news” posts every Thursday. (Dr. Adam had a bit of a family emergency, so his replacement was Elizabeth Gordon, the Chic Entrepreneur). Elizabeth and Lee squared off in a very close match, but Lee was victorious with four correct answers to Elizabeth’s three. Way to go both of you!

(Image from Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy)

I’ll be sure to post a link to the interview once it’s live, but for now, take a peak at the questions I posed on the show and test your knowledge! Answers are after the page break (click “Read More”)…but try to make your choices before clicking to check your results. We didn’t make it through all of the questions, so there are a few bonus ones thrown in as well!

Can you beat Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy? (Or Elizabeth and Lee?)

1. How long can the flu virus live on everyday items such as your cell phone, computer keyboard or the grocery store pen, according to Health magazine?

2. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that strength training for _______ minutes 3 times each week for 6 months will burn 75 additional calories each day, compared to non-strength trainers?

(Photo from Thomas College)

3. What 3 country’s members say they feel the most pressure to lose weight and be thin, according to the Reader’s Digest Global Diet Poll?

4. If you’re watching your calories and fat, which item off of the Starbucks menu would be your best bet:

A blueberry scone,
A caramel apple bar or
A butter croissant with apricot glaze?

5. University of Washington researchers say that people who sleep 7-9 hours each night have an average body mass index ________ points (higher/lower) than their less-rested peers.

(Photo from Memory Foam)

6. Scientists at my school, Iowa State University, found that adding ____________ to salads helps diners absorb about 8 times as many antioxidants from leafy greens than eating the greens solo.

7. Now for a bit of Hollywood health-related trivia: you’ve probably heard that former KFC spokesperson Jason Alexander (who used to play George Costanza on “Seinfeld”) is the new Jenny Craig spokesperson. Name 3 other celebrities who have publicly spoken about trying the popular diet program.

(Image from Adam Corrolla)

8. Now let’s say you’re taking your family out to dinner. Would you be better off calories-wise picking the Applebee’s grilled dijon chicken and portabellos with herbed potatoes and seasonal vegetables OR the Chili’s Guiltless Grill tomato and basil pasta?

9. Low intensity exercise, such as walking, can increase energy levels by ______ % according to University of Georgia researchers.

10. Spanish scientists recently discovered that what beverage (fruit juices and soft drinks were included) contained the most vitamin C?

(Photo from News Live)

11. Stress is a large health issue for many Americans. A good amount of the 1,800 Americans surveyed for a University of Toronto study said that work interfered with leisure or social activities sometimes or frequently. What percentage of people say that they bring their work home with them?

9 Jan 2010

You Bet Your Buns!

Weighty Wager

Gambling on cards, horses or football…that you’ve heard of. But weight loss? Yes, there are actually several online tools that help you stay accountable to yourself and others by putting money on it.

Health experts have known for quite some time that sharing your goals with others increases success because of the added accountability and support—so that’s where the “broadcasting your weight loss goals” comes in. And the money? Well, it seems that feeling good and improving health may not be enough of an incentive for some looking to drop a few pounds.

Workplaces have been incentivizing weight loss for years: the thinking being that a healthier employee reduces absenteeism and insurance costs. Now this idea is available on a personal level.

Two sites in particular are mentioned in a TIME magazine article about the concept: Healthywage and StickK. A person who wants to lose weight sets a goal for his or herself, picks a “wager,” possibly with a referee moderator to confirm the truthfulness of results, and signs a contract of sorts. Users can invite friends and family members to check in on progress throughout the bet, hopefully increasing success through peer pressure.

Interestingly, if you miss your goal, the funds that have been anteed up can be surrendered to an “anti-charity” (for example, this might entail a donation to another political party) through some of these programs or they may just take the money to continue the Web site’s mission.

Do you agree with the concept of making weight loss a “higher stakes” (well at least mentally for some) affair? Would you be interested in betting on yourself to achieve a health goal?

(Image from Infoniac)

Slow Your Roll

Scientists are trying to combat speed eating early in people’s lives, hoping to foster healthy eating behaviors and habits in childhood (which can then last a lifetime). But rather than keeping tabs on the subject’s weight, the researchers measured plate weight. More than one hundred children tracked their eating speeds by eating their meals on a plate which sits on a scale for a study published in the British Medical Journal.

After one year of eating with the food scale (treatment group) or with a plate on a table (control group), the children with the scales ate at a slower pace and weighed less than their peers. In fact, by the end of the study, the scale eaters ate 11 percent slower than their baseline rates.

How fast food disappeared from the plate—or how quickly the plate content’s weight diminished—was graphed. A food therapist created an ideal eating speed graph, which was compared with the subjects graph. These images are compared instantaneously and if the subject is eating too quickly, the electronic scale “tells” them so.

Becoming a more mindful eater helps many people feel fuller with less food or become better at recognizing when they are full so they don’t eat past their full point. After a follow-up, the slower dining results from this experiment seemed to last for at least six months post-scale meals.

While it’s not practical for all humans, or children, to mount scales in their dinner tables, these findings exhibit the power of being more mindful at meals.

Do you consider yourself a fast eater? If so, is this problematic or you or does it work out fine?

(I don’t even want to know how many pounds of hot dogs a speed eater consumes in minutes at the Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest!)

Water cooler conversation starter: Beautifulpeople.com, a dating Web site, recently kicked off 5,000 members for putting on pounds over the holidays. The site founder said that he didn’t want “fatties roam the site.” Whoa. Who defines what is “beautiful?”

31 Dec 2009

Health News Lightning Round

The world of health news has been a tad slow as of late, with what seems like the majority of research and news outlets taking a holiday hiatus. Nonetheless, I am here to share with you some (hopefully) enlightening wellness facts today! I sifted through some choice recent health magazines and picked out some of my favorite scientific findings to share with you, my dear readers!

Here are some fascinating findings that will help you start of 2010 in a healthy mindset:

Having cold feet about outdoor exercise? More like a cold head! Your body can lose as much as 50 percent of total heat lost through your head. Put a lid on it! (Fitness, November/December 2009)

Stop worrying, start doing! Thinking about, planning for and expecting a negative event can cause more stress than the actual occurrence you are awaiting, says a study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. (Women’s Health, January/February 2010) (Photo from eHow)

Exercising alongside a partner/group can increase accountability and compliance with a workout program, but teaming up is not always the best idea, so say Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Pairing up can make exercise more fun, but people almost always work more intensely when sweating solo. (Shape, Jan 2010)

According to the American College of Sports Medicine and the University of Vermont, that feel-good exercise glow can last as long as 12 hours! (Women’s Health, November 2009)

Don’t forget to grab a drink during your winter workouts! While the cooler temps may make you feel less thirsty than in the sweltering summer weather, you may actually sweat more while layered up in the cold than baring it in the warmth. Lower mercury levels mask your feelings of thirst by approximately 40 percent! Pack a water bottle or wear one of these fancy vests to keep dehydration at bay. (Shape, Jan 2010)

If you hang around Twitter, you know that I’m a big fan of tunes during exercise. Listening to your choice tunes at louder levels can increase your strength output according to University of Western Ontario scientists. The loud rhythm makes your body think it’s being threatened, raising adrenaline levels and sending more glucose to working muscles. Just be sure to turn down the volume after finishing your set—don’t want to damage your ear health! (Women’s Health, January/February 2010)(Image from Utah State University)

And for all of you New Year’s revelers looking out for your health and the health of all those on the road with you, “there’s an app for that!” iBreath, a breathalyzer tool that connects to the iPhone or iPod Touch, will let you know if your blood alcohol concentration is too high to drive. While it’s crucial to keep drunk drivers off of the road, in my opinion, if you feel it’s necessary to check your blood alcohol levels, it’s probably better to snag a ride ;)

(Image from Wicked Local)