Imagine you’ve just had a great workout. You’re really sweating! Are you drinking enough to stay well hydrated? Dehydration often starts with flushed skin, fatigue, increased body temperature, and faster breathing and pulse rates. From there, you might feel the early signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke: dizziness, weakness, harder breathing. To keep properly
Looking for a summer outing, something that’s fun, educational, and good for you, too? Enjoy the “earthy experience” of a farmer’s market and buy your produce directly from small, local growers. Throughout the country, local markets and U-pick-it farms are “cropping” up with seasonal produce, grown almost in your backyard. Here’s what makes them fun:
Wonder how your food choices rate? You could keep a food diary, then tally food-group servings, nutrients, and calories. That works, but there’s an easier way—online. The Interactive Healthy Eating Index (IHEI) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture does the calculating for you. Just enter what you ate for a day on its Web site.
Summer weather is no excuse to “chill out” indefinitely in your air-conditioned family room. The guideline still applies: Get 60 minutes of moderate activity every day if you can. In the summer heat, try air-conditioned action, such as indoor mall walking or inside home improvement projects. Enjoy summertime sports such as swimming, bicycling, tennis, canoeing
Do you like pizza, spaghetti with tomato sauce, burritos laden with salsa, lots of catsup, or old-fashioned tomato soup? Then enjoy ’em! Tomatoes are an abundant source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce prostate cancer risk. Aside from skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the
Time-starved? If you need to prepare dinner in fast-food time, shop turkey: turkey breast tenderloin or steak, ground turkey, turkey franks, or turkey ham. Turkey’s a great choice for health reasons, too. It’s very lean, with most of its fat (mostly unsaturated) in the skin. Consider: 3V2 ounces of cooked white, skinless turkey has just
Shake the salt habit! Excite your taste buds with herbs instead. With little effort, you get plenty of sodium-free flavor. Herb tips: Use 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs for 1 teaspoon dried. Cut fresh herbs finely to maximize their aroma and flavor. Boost flavor with herbs today. Flavor your water. Add mint, lemongrass, or scented
Had an upset stomach, diarrhea, or fever recently? Maybe it’s from something you ate. Your summer picnic basket or backyard buffet is the perfect breeding ground for food-borne bacteria. An estimated 76 million Americans get sick from food each year, and about 5,000 die from it. Should you call your doctor if you think food
Despite the high-protein craze and recent carbohydrate bashing, the consensus of nutrition science remains that carbohydrates should be your body’s main energy source. The Institute of Medicine advises that children and adults consume 45 to 65 percent of their calories (energy) from carbohydrates. For a 2,000-calorie day, that’s 225 to 325 carbohydrate grams daily. Are
You’ve been going 24/7, but it’s finally time for a summer vacation. Regional cuisine is a great way to get the “taste” of the locale, but watch out! With too much eating for entertainment, calories can add up. To avoid tripping up as you enjoy food on your vacation: Order your main meal for lunch.