Obesity Squelches Life Expectancy Gains from Declining Smoking Rates

For many years now we have all been educated regarding the harmful effects smoking has on our health and it appears people have finally taken heed to the dangers. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on December 3rd, "in the past 15 years, smoking rates have declined by 20 percent." However, as the smoking rate has gone down, the same cannot be said about the U.S. obesity rate. And because of this trend, life expectancy gains from those no longer smoking is being offset by the increase in the size of the American waistband.

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard University who led this study revealed while smoking rates have dropped, obesity rates have continued to rise, with almost half the American population slated to be obese in less than 10 years, if we do not reverse the course we are headed on. If Americans were to give up smoking and embrace a healthy lifestyle, life expectancy gains can be anticipated, but also quality of life would be expected to increase.

Pre Race Warm-ups: An Essential Part of Every Runner's Routine

When I started running almost 4 years ago one of the cardinal rules of racing my running coach taught me was, "The shorter the race, the longer the warm-up." It is something that has been ingrained in me all these years and something I still practice to this day.

He would insist that I spend a good 20 minutes warming up by doing some walking, slow jogging, short strides, and easy stretching well before my race. Of course me being me, I always had lots of questions for him, especially as to why I would spend so many minutes warming up when the race itself was so short.

Lose Weight or Don't Graduate

A handful of college students slated to graduate this spring may not be getting their diplomas after all. And it isn't because they did not meet their academic requirements to graduate, but because they failed to take a class to help them lose weight and get fit.

In 2006, Lincoln University, an institution just an hour's drive southwest of Philadelphia, established a new graduation requirement for the class of 2010--those entering the university with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater would be required to take a "Fitness for Life" class before graduation or risk not graduating. The class meets three times a week for a semester where students participate in aerobic activities, learn about nutrition and other healthy lifestyle habits.

As many of us are fully aware, we have an obesity problem in this country. But should universities and colleges initiate such drastic measures to force their students to lose weight and get healthy? Basically telling these students, lose weight or risk not graduating, even if you exceed academically.

Movie Goers Should Consider Skipping the Popcorn and Drink

In the December 2009 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, the Center for Science in the Public Interest takes on movie popcorn and drinks and wow what a revelation it is, not only for those looking to lose weight, but for those looking to embrace healthy habits.

I was shocked to read that a medium popcorn with a medium soda packs well over 1600 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. And if you upsize to a large popcorn and 2 medium drinks this brings your calorie content to well over 2000 calories.

While some chains, such as Cinemark, have switched to using non-hydrogenated canola oil for popping, other theaters such as AMC and Regal use coconut oil. And when you add the so-called buttery topping that many of us like to put on our popcorn, this raises our calorie content and saturated fat even more so.

Giving Thanks: Counting My Blessings

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Spending time with family and friends on this day is by far a blessing in and of itself. It is also a time to reflect on the year and give thanks for all the many blessings --big and small--that have come my way.

Finding the silver lining when one loses a job

This year my family and I have experienced its share of ups and downs, sometimes making it difficult to see the blessings behind the hardship. Last April my husband was laid off from a company he had been employed with for 20 years. While not completely unexpected, it was still a shock when the lay-offs were announced and the pink slips were handed out. The stress of not knowing if and when he would find a job was almost a daily event. Each morning my husband would hit the computer sending out countless resumes, calling for interviews, pounding the pavement, not to mention filling out the countless forms necessary for unemployment. Looking for a job became his full-time job.

Three months and over 300 job applications later, we were blessed when he was given the opportunity to work for a consulting firm. While it didn't feel like a blessing at the time he lost his job, during those long three months it allowed us to put our priorities back in order. It allowed us to find ways to cut back and still be strong for one another.

10 Ways to Have Happy Holidays—No Eating Required

Whenever you hear the word Thanksgiving, what is the first image you picture? The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Your guests sitting around the T.V. watching the football game? For many of us, it is a time for family and friends to sit around a festively dressed table with a nice roasted turkey sitting in the middle with lots of side dishes scattered around. It is a day we give thanks, but it is also a day many of us will eat a hearty meal of turkey, fixings, and lots of yummy, tasty desserts.

But what if you had a few fun-filled activities to participate in that did not involve food preparation and eating, would that help make the holiday a little less stressed about being around all that food?

Runner's Knee: Exercise or Rest, Which is Best?

Ask any runner, or non-runner for that matter, what one of the most common running injuries is and invariably many will mention patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)--AKA runner's knee. It has been reported that as many as 70% of all runners will suffer at least one injury in their running careers, but this should not be a deterrent to anyone who is contemplating taking up running. With proper education and knowledge many people can run without incidence for years.

It was once believed that the high impact of running led to a greater incidence of pre-arthritis or osteoarthritis of the knee, but research has revealed that is no longer the case. Runners are at no greater risk than the general population to develop arthritis of the knee. In fact, according to an article published in the October 2007 issue of Runners World running can actually strengthen the connective tissues--ligaments, tendons--and muscles that support the knee, as a result the risk of doing damage to the cartilage, which is the main cause of osteoarthritis, is reduced.

Caring for Your Aging Parents: How Do You Cope?

For many, caring for an aging parent is not an issue, but for others it's an all too familiar scenario. With life expectancy on the rise, caring for an aging parent(s) will, in all reality, be a likelihood for a number of us. And I am no exception. For the past 3 years, my husband and I have been caring for his aging parents--age 83 and 88. Their care has become a major part of our lives, especially this past year as both have experienced a major decline in their health.

Three years ago after shuttling our daughter off to college, my husband and I were looking forward to having some empty-nest time--time to spend together. However, those plans have been put on hold for the time being. With his parents advancing age and declining health, coupled with the stress and financial obligations of maintaining a home, they made the decision to sell their home and move closer to us.

Running Quiz: How Much Do You Know?

For the past 3 1/2 years I have spent countless hours reading all I can on the subject of running. In fact I have well over 70 running books in my home library. What I have found is there are lots of myths and misconceptions related to running, so I decided to put together a quiz to test your knowledge. I hope you will take time to take the quiz to see how much you know or don't know in order for you to become a more educated runner. Have fun!


TRUE or FALSE

1. Tall runners make better runners.
    
2. In order to become a runner or a better runner, one should run every day.
    
3. The muscles, bones, and connective tissues take longer to develop than the cardio-respiratory and energy systems in a runner.
    
4. Low carb diets are the perfect runner's diet.
    
5. You don't need special shoes to run, especially if you are just starting out.
    
6. Shoes can be blamed for every runner's injury.
    
7. The perfect running temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
    
8. You must run the whole distance in order to call yourself a runner.
    
9. Running burns lots of calories which means you will lose lots of weight.
    
10. Running increases your risk for developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

The Simple Ingredient Trend Picks Up Momentum for 2010

For the past 20 years or so food manufacturers have used every catch phrase from fat free to low carb to organic to all natural on their package labels in hopes to boost sales. And 2010 will be no exception as theses companies move away from complex ingredient lists on their product packaging to a simplified version.

Last April I wrote a blog regarding the first wave from food manufactures, specifically Häagen-Dazs and Frito-Lay, who paved the way to this trend by using simple ingredients in their products and on the label.

Pick up almost any processed food product currently on your local grocery store shelf and it will usually contain a laundry list of difficult to pronounce ingredients. In a world where consumers are becoming more savvy as to the foods they want, maybe simple is the way to go.

How is Your Body Responding to the Time Change?

This past weekend most of us throughout the United States, with the exception of Hawaii and Arizona, had the pleasure of gaining that extra hour of sleep as we bid farewell to daylight savings time. In 2007 Congress shifted the beginning of daylight savings time from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March. They also extended the end to daylight savings time from the last Sunday in October to first Sunday in November. And while many of us have grown to appreciate the added hour for what it is worth, we do know that eventually we will be trading it in for one less hour of sleep or activity come March.

Adjusting Your Sails: Finding the Realist in You!

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."William Arthur Ward

I love this inspirational quote! I came across it last week after experiencing some major obstacles here at home. What I love about it, is the words sum up exactly how I have changed my attitude in the last 5 years-- going from one who used to view the world with great doubt and negativity to embracing every obstacle as an opportunity to learn or change direction.

Every morning for the past 3 plus years, I have started my day reading words of inspiration thanks in part to the SparkPeople Healthy Reflection email sent to my inbox every morning and my SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar. I am a true believer that motivational quotes help to inspire me to continue on this journey we call life, even when I can't quite seem to see my way out of the fog.

Will Pickle Juice Really Become the Next Sports Drink for Exercisers?

Early last week my colleague and dailySpark.com editor Stepfanie Romine, sent me an idea for a blog about using pickle juice as a electrolyte replacement source for exercisers . She actually stumbled across the idea from one of the comments left on her blog from a Spark member regarding the use of energy gels and supplements.

My first thought was--FOR REAL? In my almost 4 years of running I have come across a number of electrolyte replacement sources in my time--everything from Gatorade and PowerAde to Pedialyte, salt tablets, even pretzels, but I have never heard of anyone using pickle juice to rehydrate or replace electrolytes with. But it makes sense.

Obtaining Your Family's Medical History: Do You Know Yours?

As children our mother’s know everything about our health history. She knows what vaccines we received, what ailments we suffered from, even when we lost our first tooth. But how many of us know our own family’s medical history? While it may seem a tad uncomfortable to ask such personal questions from our parents, unlocking their health history many times can unlock the door to our own health.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 96% of Americans rank the need to know one’s family health history as important, however only one-third of us actually take the time to assemble this data. This information is vital not only for you, but for your physician or health care provider as it can help them to determine your risks for many health issues including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Running Down a Dream: Overcoming Obstacles

"There will be days when I don't know if I can run a marathon. There will be a lifetime knowing that I have." Unknown

It was only 8 short months ago when Coach Jen sent me an email asking if I would consider running the Chicago Marathon with her. I must say the mere thought scared me to death, not only running a race of that distance but putting in the hours and hours training for it as well seemed even more daunting. But that feeling would only last a short while as I quickly took the liberty to sign up less than a few hours later. That was the easy part--I had no idea the challenges and obstacles that would lie ahead of me in the days, weeks and months ahead, even up to the very last hour of my life changing event.