JUICE MADE HEALTHIER Do you hear, “more juice, please,” on a continuous loop in your house? Uh-oh. Convincing evidence shows that sipping too much of it can lead to excess weight gain, particularly in children who were borderline heavy to begin with. Make sure your kids drink no more than four to six ounces daily, and to lighten up their sweet drinks, try these suggestions:
Make a juice fizz. “Add a splash of juice to club soda,” recommends Ellie Krieger, host of the Food Network’s Healthy Appetite.
Pour 100 percent fruit juice into ice cube tray. To fancy it up, add a piece of the actual fruit and freeze. Then plunk a couple of the cubes into a glass of still or sparkling water. Look for healthier options. Ellie is also a fan of naturally flavored waters that have no sugar, calories or artificial sweeteners.
-Fitness
GET YOUR EIGHT GLASSES A DAY The best way to avoid water-related illnesses when traveling is to stick to bottled water and bottled beverages. However, generally speaking, it’s usually safe to drink tap water in Europe, Russia and Japan. But be wary in Africa, Southeast Asia, South America and parts of the Caribbean.
-Men's Fitness
EXERCISE & AGING Inactive people may be 10 years older biologically than their active counterparts, say researchers who measured the length of telomeres in the white blood cells of more than 2,400 twins (mostly women). Telomeres are sequences of DNA that cap chromosomes, protecting them from degrading. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres erode, so shorter telomeres are a sign of aging. Twins who were most active during their leisure time (they averaged half an hour of activity a day) had significantly
longer telomeres than their twins who were least active (they averaged just two minutes a day). Scientists don’t know how exercise protects telomeres from erosion, but other studies suggest that activity may help by curing inflammation and oxidative stress. Both can shorten telomere length.
-Nutrition Action Healthletter
BE NUTTY Nuts and seeds add texture, flavor and protein to salads, grains and baked goods. They also make a good, satisfying snack—but don’t overdo: 1 ounce is plenty because they’re high in calories.
-Cooking Light
WORK OUT AFTER A HEART ATTACK Heart-strengthening exercises are essential after a heart attack and can reduce the risk of death from a second heart attack by as much as 30 percent. But only 18 percent of patients get even one session of cardiac rehab after being released from the hospital, says the journal Circulation. It’s wise for patients who have had a heart attack or bypass surgery to sign up for what’s called secondary prevention, which includes supervised exercise, social support and counseling about nutrition and stress.
