Over 50? Keep moving!

A Vision Paper released by the International Council on Active
Aging reported physical activity is a great means to prevent age-related loss of function, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, maintain and improve mental and physical health and generally maintain a higher quality of life.

Physical activity in older adults can reduce the risk of heart disease, some cancers, hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity; mediate hypertension, diabetes and depression; lower the risk of falls and injury; and improve sleep. Research results have become so frequent and so convincing that an increase in physical activity is recommended for older adults by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Administration on Aging, Surgeon General, and many other organizations.

30 minutes a day, five or more days a week of physical activity is recommended. Use your BioTainer to monitor your caloric burn.

Coca Cola includes caffeine content

Coca-Cola announced today it will continue it voluntary rollout of expanded nutrition labeling in the U.S. to include caffeine content on all of its beverages containing the ingredient. The Atlanta based company has already included caffeine labeling on its Full Throttle and Enviga packaging, and will roll out the new labels on its other brands, starting with cans of Coca-Cola Classic in May, and expanding to other brands and packages during the remainder of the year. The time at which the revised labels reach store shelves will vary by brand and by region as U.S. bottlers use up existing inventories of packaging. The new packaging labels will provide the exact amount of caffeine in each serving.

According to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine is an appetite suppressant, but the effect lasts only a very brief period — not long enough to lead to significant weight loss. Does caffeine increase your body's ability to burn calories? Perhaps, but probably not enough to result in significant weight loss.

Caffeine does act as a diuretic, so water loss may decrease your body weight. But it doesn't decrease body fat. And remember, caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, interrupt your sleep, and cause nervousness and irritability. Also, many caffeinated beverages are high in calories, which can contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Follow the Rainbow to eat right!

For heart health - shoot for 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children ages two to six should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day; children over age six, active women, and teens should eat 7; and active teen boys and men should eat 9.

And don’t forget to follow a rainbow eating plan--reaching for lots of colorful produce is a powerful way to protect your heart.

Ready for Valentine's Day - A Chocolate Cake from Canyon Ranch Spa

Canyon Ranch Spa offers lots of delicious AND healthy alternatives to traditional high-calorie and high-fat menu items. They teamed up with Epicurious and below is one of the four-fork rated (highest) recipes on their website. Enjoy!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 4-ounce jar baby food carrot puree
1 4-ounce jar baby food prune puree
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 1-ounce square unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup nonfat fudge sauce
1/2 cup raspberry all-fruit preserves
1/4 cup nonfat fudge sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 9-inch cake pan with canola oil. Dust with flour.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, carrot and prune puree, extracts, coffee, and eggs. Beat lightly to mix. Combine with dry ingredients, using an electric mixer on low. Add melted unsweetened chocolate and beat on medium until glossy and smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on rack and cool.
5. Invert cake onto dry surface and slice in half horizontally. Spread raspberry preserves on bottom layer. Replace top and frost with nonfat fudge sauce. Slice into 16 servings. Each serving contains approximately 135 calories, 26 gm. carbohydrate, 3 gm. fat, 15 mg. cholesterol, 3 gm. protein, 153 mg. sodium, and 2 gm. fiber.

Makes 16 servings.
Canyon Ranch Cooks 2003

FDA Approves Orlistat - but warns that exercise must accompany its use

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved orlistat capsules as an over-the-counter (OTC) weight loss aid for overweight adults. Orlistat was initially approved in 1999 as a prescription drug to treat obesity, and remains a prescription drug for obesity at a higher dose than the OTC version. OTC orlistat will be manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline under the name Alli and is indicated for use in adults ages 18 years and older along with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet, and exercise program.

"We know that being overweight has many adverse consequences, including an increase in the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Douglas Throckmorton, Deputy Director for FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "OTC orlistat, along with diet and exercise, may aid overweight adults who seek to lose excess weight to improve their health."

"This drug is only going to be effective if it's used in conjunction with a weight loss program -- and what that means is a reduced-fat diet, decreased calories, and an exercise program," said Charles Ganley, MD, of the FDA's Office of Nonprescription Products in a news conference. "If someone just chooses to use orlistat alone -- without undertaking a weight loss program -- then this drug is not going to be very effective."

The product's most common side effect is a change in bowel habits, which may include loose stools. The FDA suggests a low-fat diet would lower the risk of such side effects.

GlaxoSmithKline, maker of orlistat, says It will be available this summer

One in Four Americans on a Diet

Health professionals continue to sound the alarm that obesity is the biggest health threat to Americans. Furthermore, Americans are bombarded with messages about how eating fried foods and excessive amounts of red meat can increase their risk of heart attack and stroke. These health warnings are of particular concern when eating out – where super-sized portions of deep-fried foods have been the staples of menus for some time.

According to a recent Maritz® Poll conducted by Maritz Research, a leader in marketing research, one in four Americans (24 percent) is currently on a diet. A higher percentage of women (29 percent) were watching their weight compared to men (18 percent). Male and female dieters were equally likely to maintain dietary discipline. Two-thirds (66 percent) of dieters indicated that they will stick to their diets, making healthy choices when eating out, compared to ‘overindulging’ because dining out is a special occasion. Furthermore, nearly six out of 10 (57 percent) of those surveyed indicated that offering low-carb or other healthy dining options was at least ‘somewhat important’ in their decision when choosing a restaurant.

"As all of the publicity around the need to develop better eating habits continues to resonate with a large segment of the population, I would expect that restaurant concepts built around healthy eating will be a large part of the future landscape of casual dining," said Rick Garlick, director of Consulting and Strategic Implementation for the Maritz Research Hospitality Group.
The online survey of nearly 1,900 Americans who recently ate at a casual dining restaurant also showed that when given a choice between food that is grilled or fried, an overwhelming majority (87 percent) said they preferred their food grilled.

"When dining out, you notice that many restaurants do not offer a grilled option to their customers. For example, how many menus offer fried wings as an appetizer, compared to those that offer a grilled wing option with a reduced-fat hot sauce?" said Garlick. "Unless you want fried, you often are left out."

The survey also revealed that more Americans are eschewing red meat. Thirty-six percent said they were eating less red meat compared to five years ago. Only 8 percent said that they were eating more red meat.

The BioTrainer™ is NOT a pedometer!

The important distinction between the BioTrainer™ personal exercise monitor and a simple pedometer is that the pedometer is expressly used to measure walking and simply counts the number of steps you take. The BioTrainer is a scientifically proven medical-quality monitor that accurately computes and stores both physical activity and calories burned during all types of “DAILY LIFESTYLE ACTIVITY.” In addition, all data stored can be tracked by using the online BioTrainer Subscription Program™ that gives a detailed ongoing analysis of your results.