Life's Too Short

Can you fill a fitness bank now, so you experience benefits later?The answer is yes, you can exercise now to build up your fitness in order to accomplish future activities. You can also get strong in the present so that it’s easier to best illness when it hits you. Your strength, endurance and bone density decrease rapidly from being bed-ridden. Take advantage and get active while you’re healthy. It’s best to maintain a high level of fitness for yourself as long as you can in your lifetime. Being fit makes daily tasks easier. It also improves recovery from surgery and pregnancy. Fill your bank with a minimal level of fitness. You should perform cardiovascular exercise no less than 150 minutes a week. If you’re already active and fit, do a little more. Push yourself to get even stronger.Listen in as Dr. Brian Parr joins Melanie Cole, MS, with tips on how to get fit now and reap the benefits later.

The ACSM’s yearly American Fitness Index compares fitness levels across the nation. The report is a combination of personal health indicators and community/environmental indicators. Cities are scored, and the top 50 cities are ranked.Indicators measured are things that can be changed. Smog and other factors that can’t be altered right away by individuals or city councils are not measured for the ranking. The top city for 2017 is Minneapolis. One element of personal fitness scoring is having exercised in the past 30 days. A whopping 81 percent of Minneapolis residents reported such activity. Washington D.C. came in second at 78 percent. Minneapolis spends $211 per person for their parks in order to keep them available and safe for exercise during winter months. Cities that rank in the bottom five tend to have lower personal fitness achievements. Obesity, smoking, lack of exercise and high death rate from cardiovascular disease are also common factors for these cities. Park expenditures are lower and these communities don’t always provide physical education through high school, impacting community health.Visit American Fitness Index to investigate how your city measures. You can also use the Community Action Plan for ideas on how you can make personal change and community impact. Use the scores to change your community. Listen as ACSM President Elect Dr. Walt Thompson joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how to improve your city’s ranking in the American Fitness Index.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that can be found in fatty foods like fish. We can also generate it in our bodies if we’re exposed to sunlight.This vitamin is essential for the body’s absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, iron and zinc. It helps your bones stay strong, improves red blood cell count and reduces risk for heart disease. Fifteen minutes of sunlight per day should help you reach the recommended amount of vitamin D. Most people need about 400 IU per day. If you don’t get enough sun exposure or vitamin D in your diet, a supplement may be your best option. Listen as Dr. John Higgins joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how to get more vitamin D into your diet.

Many people have dental emergencies. How well prepared are you? Here are some quick tips for common dental emergencies. Loose braces bracket: Apply dental wax to the edge. Make an appointment with your orthodontist to repair during office hours. Braces wire irritation: Apply dental wax or cotton swabs to make the area comfortable until your orthodontist or dentist can examine. Broken tooth with root: Clean it off and have it placed back in the socket within 45 minutes. Preserve the tooth in milk or saliva. Get to a dentist or the emergency room immediately. Pain, blood or swelling: These indicate a true dental emergency. Call your dentist right away. Loose crown: Call your dentist to arrange re-cementing. Broken filling: Call your dentist to arrange replacement. Going to the emergency room for a non-urgent matter will be expensive. It’s wise to wait until your dentist’s office hours for anything that doesn’t have pain, blood or swelling. Listen as Dr. Karson Kupiec joins Melanie Cole, MS, to advise on how to handle dental emergencies.

The idea that Americans need more protein in their diets is untrue. Protein consumption isn’t a problem.You don’t store extra protein as muscle mass. It actually turns into fat. Are you eating so much protein that you’re denying yourself fiber and carbohydrates? Consuming too much protein can deplete your body’s calcium stores. It taxes your kidneys and can contribute to heart disease. How much protein do you really need? The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That’s about 56 grams for men and 46 grams for women. It should be 20 percent of your daily caloric intake. Athletes may need a little more. Do you need more protein? Journal your eating habits for a week. Note your likes and tendencies. See where you could improve your nutrient intake.And, be sure to get plenty of rest if you’re trying to build muscle.Listen as Dr. Felicia Stoler joins Melanie Cole, MS, to debunk the protein myth.

The bee population is dwindling. Their habitat is changing. We need bees and other pollinators for our food supply. How to Help the BeesPlant flowers. Weed killers and development are removing flowers from the landscape. A few planters on your deck will support more bees. Bees are active from late winter through fall. There are many types of bees. You can plant different types of flowers that bloom at different points in the year to help care for the pollinators as long as possible. Reduce or eliminate weed killers and pesticides. Some of them wind up in the nectar and pollen. Prolonged exposure can cause flying issues for bees, sometimes resulting in death.If everyone took one step toward saving the pollinators, we would see marked improvement for the bees. Listen as Matthew Shepherd joins Melanie Cole, MS to discuss how you can help the bees.

It’s important to balance out your fitness program to make the most of your physical health.It’s too easy to stick with one aspect, especially if it’s all the rage. Before starting a fitness program you should speak with your doctor. If you haven’t been active or are looking to increase your intensity, get a health screening. A complete exercise program has four components. Cardiorespiratory activities or aerobic exercises get the heart and lungs going. This category includes walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and tennis. Pursue these activities three to five days per week. Resistance training is important to building muscle. Choose activities that stress the muscles, like lifting weights, bodyweight exercises and using resistance bands. Work targeted muscle groups two to three days per week. Allow 48 hours between working targeted muscle groups for recovery. Flexibility exercises are key for stretching the body. Do static stretches that are held for a period of time. You can also do dynamic stretches that flow through different positions. Balance exercises qualify. These should be done two to three days per week as part of a fitness program, or daily for faster improvement. Neuromotor training helps your brain to move your body smoothly. This is important for your brain connection to your muscles. Tai chi, pilates and yoga done two to three days per week will satisfy this aspect. You need all four components for stability. Pursue these activities at the gym or in your own home with minimal expense. Start at the intensity level that’s right for you. Set goals to become stronger and find balance between all four components. Listen as Dr. Barbara Bushman joins Melanie Cole, MS to guide you on a well-rounded approach to fitness.

You can make the most of life by taking charge of your own health.There is now a curriculum to incorporate exercise as medicine in medical school. Exercise is more powerful than any medication.The three things that can really improve individual health are:1. Exercise2. Good nutrition3. Eliminating behavior that is harmful to your health like smokingAdults should do 150 minutes or more of moderate exercise per week. A brisk walk five days a week for 30 minutes would fulfill that requirement. It should be so intense you couldn't sing but not so intense you can't talk.Small amounts of exercise will help. Fifteen minutes of physical activity per day can cut mortality by almost 15 percent. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking the car farther away can improve your health.Strength training can reduce bone and muscle mass loss. Weight lifting strengthens both bones and muscles. Women don't need to worry about bulking up from strength training.Today's children have greater health risks, because we have a more sedentary culture. Make sure your children get moving. Physical education is important in schools. Community activities can be a fun way to get them moving.Do what you can. Don't be afraid to start slow. Fixing your fitness level can help reduce your health care expenses.Listen in as Dr. Bob Sallis shares how you can improve your health with the right dosage of exercise.

Have you ever watched an infomercial and said to yourself, “I could’ve invented something like that”? If you are a home inventor, how do you find people to buy your products? There are two types of media: Media that creates brand awareness, getting you to think about their product. Direct response media, geared to get clients and consumers to take action. All marketing is designed to solicit a response. The question is how immediate you want that response to be. How to Get Your Product MadeAsk yourself if you’re in love with your product, or does it have a potential place in the marketplace? Don’t mortgage your home to chase the dream if your product isn’t relatively viable. Does your product solve a common problem? Does it have mass appeal? Is it affordable? If you assess it to be a worthwhile investment, now it’s time to see what you have to spend on this project. Get your patent so you can license production. Now no one can steal your idea. Make a working prototype. It doesn’t have to be amazing. You need something to present to someone who can license production. Seek a marketing partner. Most marketing partners charge 2-5%. They handle production, promotion and pathways to retail. Listen as John Yarrington joins Melanie Cole, MS, to break down how you can get your at-home invention into the hands of consumers.

Hearing loss was once thought to be an elderly person's problem.But, younger and younger folks are becoming hard of hearing.Hearing loss does take time to develop after continuous noise exposure. If you have your headphones too loud too frequently, you may experience some hearing loss in your younger years. Are You Endangering Your Hearing?You take out your earbuds and experience a ringing sensation, dull hearing or you miss someone calling your name. You should recover in a few hours from a single exposure but it takes a toll. Limit your exposure to loud noises. Consider headphones or earplugs when operating noisy equipment. Turn down the music. Get your hearing checked every three to five years after age 40. Annual checks are a good idea when you are 50 and older. There are discreet hearing aids now available if your physician discovers you need hearing assistance. Listen as Dr. Tom Powers joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how to prevent hearing loss.

The idea that Americans need more protein in their diets is untrue. Protein consumption isn’t a problem.You don’t store extra protein as muscle mass. It actually turns into fat. Are you eating so much protein that you’re denying yourself fiber and carbohydrates? Consuming too much protein can deplete your body’s calcium stores. It taxes your kidneys and can contribute to heart disease. How much protein do you really need? The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That’s about 56 grams for men and 46 grams for women. It should be 20 percent of your daily caloric intake. Athletes may need a little more. Do you need more protein? Journal your eating habits for a week. Note your likes and tendencies. See where you could improve your nutrient intake.And, be sure to get plenty of rest if you’re trying to build muscle.Listen as Dr. Felicia Stoler joins Melanie Cole, MS, to debunk the protein myth.

While it may seem like a dream, your body is always burning calories.Metabolism occurs in every cell of your body, even when you’re sleeping. Eighty percent of your daily carbohydrate intake is utilized by your brain. You burn just below one calorie per minute when at rest. Moderate exercise burns about five to six calories per minute. High intensity exercise burns ten to fifteen calories per minute, depending on your body weight. Metabolic conditioning or metabolic training boosts your metabolism so you can burn more calories per minute. As you get more fit, you have to increase intensity or time for continued improvement. Add five minutes to your workout or boost your intensity. Higher intensity workouts make you feel out of breath so you can’t expend energy on conversation. You shouldn’t feel like collapsing, but you should feel like your body is fully engaged. Resistance training burns tons of calories. Your metabolism doesn’t just drop to your resting rate when you finish the workout. It continues to burn calories at a higher rate later. Listen as Dr. Michele Olson joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how you can kick your metabolism into high gear.

It’s hard to find a bra that fits. But, a good bra will give you confidence. Listen as bra expert Jenny Altman joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how you can find a good bra. Here are some tips direct from Jenny: Getting a bra fitting is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Finding a good bra can seem like a tough task, but let the experts do the hard work for you. Shop department stores like Nordstrom or Dillard’s for a Chantelle bra. Chantelle is one of the BEST “fit" brands out there. Great quality, great price, size A-H. Department stores often use Chantelle as their fit bra, because the fit is so fantastic for women with small bands to large bands as well as small cups to large cups. Visit Soma for a great fit experience, they have close to 300 stores nationwide. This brand has the most lovely, knowledgeable salespeople to guide you to the best size and style. Shop bras, sports bras and swim all in one fitting room! If you can’t get to a Soma store, do a live chat with their customer service team or use their virtual tools to figure out your bra size online. Wirefree bras are a great option for women who don’t want wire, although modern underwire bras offer amazing technology for comfort and function. Here are a few links for great options: https://www.soma.com/store/category/wireless/cat3310020 http://www.barenecessities.com/search.aspx?search=wire%20free%20bra&action=true&ft=1 When your daughter is ready for her first bra, take her somewhere she will feel comfortable. She is a teenager, not a grown woman, so take her to a store like Aerie where the sales girls will be like-minded in age and style. When you buy your new bra wardrobe, donate your old bras. Remember that these bras may not be perfect for you, but they may be perfect for someone else. Women of domestic abuse benefit from Soma’s large donation two times per year; it’s a very important cause. Other bra retailers to shop online are: http://www.barenecessities.comhttps://brayola.comhttp://www.herroom.com

A migraine can ruin you day... or possibly even your week. Most people who start having migraines are afraid of four main things: brain tumor, stroke, heart attack and the possibility of passing the condition along to their children. Enlist the help of a migraine specialist to allay any fears.Know the Signs You can faintly detect a migraine is coming if you pay attention to the warning signs. Cognitive difficulty, yawning, blurred vision and irritability are common. You also may experience a taste of rust or blood. Many migraine sufferers smell non-existent cat urine, smoke or ammonia. Migraines Away from Home It’s easier to deal with a migraine at home. You have your comforts close, and you can control the environment. Creating your own migraine emergency kit can help you manage your migraine away from home. Fill it with the items that help you deal with the migraine. You may include extra medication, a bottle of water, an eye mask, peppermint essential oil, a heating pad and ginger candy. Get a letter from your doctor that explains you are a migraine sufferer and deal best with certain medications. Present it in the emergency room so you don’t appear to be a drug seeker. Keep a kit in your car and at work. Listen as migraine expert Lisa Jacobson joins Melanie Cole, MS, to explain how you can navigate and survive your migraines.

Exercise can be limiting and challenging for those who are overweight. However, getting active provides health benefits beyond just weight loss. The exercise you’re doing now may not burn all the calories you hope, but it will help keep weight off long term. You’re increasing endurance, strength and flexibility. Your goal should progress to a weight-bearing exercise like walking. You may need to work up to it with training on a recumbent bike. Strengthening will help improve everyday function. Exercising can help you with daily tasks, like carrying groceries and lifting your children. You can also gain mobility. Tying your shoes and reaching items on higher shelves are examples of the flexibility gains. Listen as Dr. Brian Parr joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share the benefits of exercise for those who are overweight that extend beyond the scale.

Should you eat before you work out? What should you consume after? Pre-Workout Tips Be sure to hydrate before working out. Your body loses moisture when you sleep. Have a 16-ounce bottle of water 30-60 minutes before hitting the gym. If you're hungry, have light protein or light carbs within an hour of your workout. Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, or a nutritious protein bar can keep your stomach from growling while you work out. Avoid energy drinks. You don’t need the caffeine or sugar crash. Workout Tips Hydrate while working out. Stop every 15-30 minutes for some water. If you work out for more than an hour, a beverage with electrolytes may help you replenish. Post-Workout Tips Have another 16-ounce bottle of water 30-60 minutes after the workout. You’re still sweating and need to hydrate. Have some carbs, protein and fats. Fruit and Greek yogurt are a great post-workout snack. A sandwich or wrap, whole grain cereal, or a hard boiled egg can also help replace what you lost. Aerobic workouts demand more carbs and fat for replenishment. Weight training requires more protein for recovery. If you’re feeling sick or weakened during your workout, it’s time to call it a day. It's important to know your limits and avoid pushing too hard. Listen as Dr. John Higgins joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share his best advice for workouts and nutrition.

Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually worldwide. That’s one fracture occurring every three seconds.The condition involves a reduction of strength in your bones. You lose bone after age 50, and your bone strength is compromised. A minor trip or fall can cause a fracture. The current recommendation for women over 65 and men over 70 is to undergo a bone density test if one hasn’t yet been administered. This is a non-invasive procedure and takes 10 minutes. The score determines your bone density. It’s best to look at the spine and hip for density. If you’re younger but have risk factors for fractures, you should also get a bone density test. Risk factors include a parent who has broken a hip, drinking more than three alcoholic beverages per day, smoking cigarettes, taking certain medications like prednisone or aromatase inhibitors, and having other specific medical conditions.Fracture Prevention Lead a clean life. Don’t smoke. Don’t drink to excess. Live an active life. Exercise improves bone density. Get calcium rich foods in your diet. Boost your vitamin D levels if your blood test shows low levels. Listen as Dr. Ethel Siris joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how to prevent osteoporotic fractures.

Diabetic patients are at risk of foot ulcers, which are open wounds on the foot that don't heal, even after time. Something as simple as a cut or scratch can become an ulcer. This is risky for diabetics, because many have already lost feeling in the area where the injury occurs. A diabetic foot ulcer may go unnoticed until blood appears in socks or shoes.Unfortunately, 26 percent of diabetics with foot wounds require limb amputation. Amputation Prevention Daily inspection of feet using a mirror as necessary. Proper footwear; don’t go barefoot. Address cuts and wounds immediately, no matter how small. Keep sugar consumption down. Avoid nicotine. Wound Treatment Eliminate unneccessary pressure. Use antibiotic ointment and a clean bandage. Alert primary care physician or podiatrist. Foot wounds for diabetics should be inspected by a doctor once per week or every other week. A wound should be 50 percent healed in four weeks. It may need more advanced therapy if not healing at this rate. Listen as Dr. Andrew Applewhite joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share the importance of early treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

According to the United Nations, about 40 percent of food we buy in the United States is wasted. Much of the waste comes from over-purchasing at the household level. This food waste has worldwide consequences and is the third largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions once you examine the global carbon footprint. The best foods you can eat are the freshest: meat, dairy, fish and produce. They’re also the most perishable. These are precious resources. Wasted food also means wasted water. A single head of broccoli in the garbage flushes away 5.4 gallons of water used to grow that broccoli. Wasting 40 percent of a holiday meal for eight people is equivalent to all eight people running the tap for two hours. Food date labeling is contributing to food waste. Congress is trying to bring uniformity to the labeling so consumers don’t throw good food away prematurely.What You Can Do Today Shop with a plan instead of with your eyes. Use doggie bags and takeout containers to enjoy leftovers. Not all food is produced uniformly. You can eat crooked carrots. Learn more about food waste by visiting Natural Resources Defense Council and ReFed.Listen in as John Mandyck joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how to decrease food waste.

Time can get away from you if you work from home. You may do a lot more sitting than someone who has to leave the house to go to work.While it may seem hard to believe, the hardest thing to do when you work from home is stopping work. It’s really easy to continue to slave away at your computer. Tips for TelecommutersGet yourself on a schedule so your day has a clear beginning and end. Change your pajamas and brush your teeth or whatever you need to do to define your day. Assign your estimated commute time to fitness. If it would take you 30 minutes to drive to work, then spend that time working out. Take activity breaks between work tasks. Hop on your treadmill, do a few lunges, stretch. Small increments of activity add up. Get up every 45 to 60 minutes. Stretch the muscles that haven’t been used while you were sitting. Consider getting a standing desk. Sitting becomes stressful for your body. Wearable technology makes you aware of how much you’re moving. It’s recommended to get to 10,000 steps per day for health benefits. Your smart phone may have a pedometer function. Develop good working posture. Your elbows should be at 40 degrees when you’re typing. Your screen should be at eye level. This will reduce the wear and tear on your body. Sitting on a fitness ball all day may exacerbate an issue you may not know you have. Stretch everything that is contracted when you’re sitting. Work your hip flexors with both hands on your back pockets, push your hips forward, lean back and say “aaaaahhh.” Stretch your chest by clasping your hands behind your back and raising your arms up. Encourage your colleagues on phone meetings to take stretch breaks. Create a culture for body care. Listen in as Grace DeSimone joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share tips for work-from-home fitness.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has gone up and down the ACSM Fitness Trends list. It’s been in and out of the news. Why does its popularity fluctuate? What is HIIT?HIIT consists of intense, short bouts of exercise. Intervals of one to five minutes of exercise alternate with short rest periods or less intense exercises. It can be very uncomfortable for a lot of people. The work load is high. If you feel like it’s too intense, you can avoid injuries by decreasing your intensity. It may not be the best introduction to fitness if you aren’t very active. You may need a longer recovery period after your workout than you'd need after an hour on the treadmill. How to Do HIITMany HIIT workouts include a short burst of high resistance on a stationary bike for 30 seconds to a minute. This is followed by three minutes of lower resistance and intensity. The cycle repeats a few times. You can incorporate a little HIIT into your regular workout. Find an exercise you enjoy and include it in your fitness program. HIIT is all about short bursts and will not provide the endurance training you need for a marathon. Be sure any fitness you pursue will help you reach your personal goals.How HIIT Burns Fat DifferentlyTraditional exercise burns some fat while you work out. HIIT might not burn as much in a short workout as traditional exercise. Your body continues to burn energy after the HIIT workout to replenish what it used. This means you’re burning fat after you’ve stopped exercising. It works like resistance training. There isn’t a lot of research on people only using HIIT to lose weight.Fight BoredomHIIT is great for breaking up your workout if you’re getting bored. But, it could be too much if you’re not used to doing hard work. Tailor as needed by decreasing the intensity and increasing the duration of rest periods if needed. Listen in as Dr. Brian Parr joins Melanie Cole, MS to discuss the benefits of HIIT.

Therapeutic art is a fantastic treatment option for dementia. The part of the brain that controls inhibition declines early in dementia. Without inhibition, patients are willing to create regardless of prior art training. Memory is not necessary to create art. Those with dementia have short-term memory loss. They aren’t distracted and are very "in the moment" when creating art. Therapeutic art is a tool to fill time, focus and communicate. Art therapy is a means to an end. When implemented, it looks a lot like an art class. The technique is also great for addressing common cultural history. These common themes provoke conversation from the long-term memory. You can never be wrong in creating art. Different materials are used to find what sparks creativity for the individual. Patient-created art can be used to decorate a dementia care facility. It makes things less dreary and prompts conversation. Sometimes, patients have art exhibits. They may also choose to gift their artwork. Listen in as Fabiana Glazer shares how therapeutic art helps those with cognitive decline.

The ACSM Fitness Trends have staying power. These trends are based on research conducted since 2007. Wearable technology first came up as a trend in 2016. The accuracy of activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors and GPS tracking devices has improved. In some cases, your caloric balance can be calculated by your device. Think about what you want to measure and purchase the wearable that best matches your goals. Body weight training is not new. It gets back to basics with fitness. It requires minimal equipment, so it’s very affordable. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has short bursts of activity followed by short recovery periods. There are a lot of questions about who it is best for and if it will cause more injury. It’s not for everyone. Seek out someone with the proper certification to guide you through a workout. Educated and experienced fitness professionals are important. With the advent of the Internet, there are people who demonstrate fitness techniques online. The online guru may not have the understanding for potential injury for other bodies. Visit the United States Registry of Exercise Professionals to find out someone’s credentials. Strength training is a lot like body weight training. You can go into a gym anywhere in the world and people are doing strength training. Most young folks want to do something exciting so gyms are repackaging strength training in their memberships. Group training is still popular. Classes where individuals are led through exercises for different fitness levels remain a trend. Exercise is Medicine is a global health initiative focused on prescriptions for fitness as part of one’s treatment plan. Listen in as Dr. Walt Thompson shares the 2017 ACSM Fitness Trends.

Holidays are full of so many amazing treats and delicious foods. It can be a tough time if you're trying to achieve or maintain health goals.CocktailsThere are calories in most beverages you consume. Alcohol has more calories than carbohydrates or protein, but you can get more bang for your buck with hard alcohol, requiring less of it to get a buzz. Beware of calorie-filled mixers. Beer has more calories than hard alcohol. Wine typically has about 120 calories for four to six ounces, but who drinks only six ounces of wine?Sip a glass of water between cocktails. If you imbibe too much alcohol, you may get the munchies. Be kind to your waistline and monitor your alcohol consumption.Family FeastsFeel free to taste everything. Take a fork or spoonful of each dish. Fill one plate and stick to what's on that single plate. You want to have room for dessert. If you can't resist a second visit to the buffet table, consider using some white kidney bean extract up to 30 minutes before your meal. A supplement like Phase 2 (white kidney bean extract) inhibits the absorption of starchy carbohydrates by up to 65 percent.Consider having just an au jus gravy instead of adding starch to thicken. Enjoy the flavors from the cooked meat.Don't fast or eat right before heading to a feast. Have some yogurt in the morning. If you know there won't be enough vegetables at the meal, have a salad early in the day.Make sure you don't fill up on all of the amazing appetizers.Office TreatsUse willpower when you can and moderation when you can't. Know there will be candy bowls and treats your co-workers share.ExerciseGet moving to fight off seasonal depression. It's good for your joints, cardiovascular system, bone health and waistline. Go to shopping centers or museums to get some casual exercise. Outdoor sports with the family are a great way to burn off those feasts.Chef SatisfactionIf you're preparing the meal and tasting everything, you may not be very hungry when you sit down for the meal. Limit yourself to a smaller vessel for tasting if you can't resist going back for more.Wear comfortable shoes when cooking to avoid strain. Use your kitchen for lunges, calf raises and counter push ups to integrate some fitness into your cooking day.Listen in as Dr. Felicia Stoler shares her best advice for navigating the holiday festivities.

Red wine can provide some amazing health benefits, all thanks to resveratrol. Resveratrol is a polyphenol that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Resveratrol is found in red grapes, champagne, dark berries, peanuts and dark chocolate. It’s better to have a little red wine throughout the week instead of a weekend binge. It’s better for your body. You’re more likely to burn off all the calories you’ve consumed.Resveratrol capsules are available in drug stores as a food supplement. However, they haven’t been proven as a successful replacement for other sources.Other benefits of resveratrol include improvement in eyesight and cardiovascular health, as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. It may also help physical endurance. A recent study in monkeys has shown that resveratrol increases slow-twitch muscle fibers.Listen in as Dr. John Higgins shares the health benefits of resveratrol.

Ever find yourself going on auto-pilot, performing activities without being fully aware of what you’re doing? Mindfulness transcends imagery of sitting on the floor meditating. Mindfulness is a moment-to-moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment. You notice what’s going on around you in the present. We have so many external pressures to multitask from waking to sleeping. Information overload is overwhelming. Mindfulness helps you separate the urge to react to every thought or emotion that pops up as you progress through the long, active day. You can choose how to manage your thoughts. How should you respond to the latest political post from your cousin? Is it better to get upset and rant? Or, is it better to just let it go? The practice of mindfulness has two parts: Awareness. You become aware of your environment and how you react to things. Expectation. When you know what usually happens physically and emotionally as you encounter different situations, you know what to expect. You can better navigate your reactions. Stillness can help you be mindful. Being present in the moment and taking time to fully experience what’s happening is great mindfulness. You can also pay attention to your breath. Acknowledge the thoughts that pop up and let them pass. Mindfulness can help with weight management. Paying attention to your food and fully experiencing meal time is a great preventative for carelessly shoveling back more food than you intended. Notice the physical response in your body while you eat. How does your body feel after eating too many donuts? How does it feel after a nutritious meal? This can help you make choices to eat the food that makes you feel fantastic.Listen in as Anna Pace shares how you can be more mindful.

Emotions are running high after the results of the current presidential election. There seems to be more protests and violence stemming from the results than has occurred in recent history. How did we get here?Acknowledging the PainThere is pain on both sides. Those who voted for the person who won the election have pain that hasn't been acknowledged by recent elections. Those who didn’t vote for that person have pain connected to fear for the future. Pain is an alert that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. Opportunity is here. This is a chance to push forward the things that are important to you. What is your loving image for the world? How can you help make that happen? Be the change you want to see. Benefits: It stops you from judging others and pushes for understanding. You step outside of your echo chamber to learn more about the pain others are experiencing. It replaces your complaints about others with focus on yourself. You can take action and control what you do in the world. Similar, Yet DifferentYou can draw your circle a little larger and look more deeply into the lives and values of people who don’t look and live like you. You’ll find a lot of similarities between humans. We all want a loving, positive future. What values do we have in common as humans? Desiring basic needs to be provided Honesty Integrity Respect Kindness Demonstrating love for other humans Wanting love Feeling a sense of belonging These values are the basis for belief. Making sure these needs are met will help people fear less for their survival. There are people who are struggling for that desire for basic needs. It is key to confront this social pain in order to neutralize it and move forward. Politicians are great at telling people what they want to hear. They know the issues of different markets, can speak to those fears and make promises to that demographic. People tend to vote for the key issues that speak to their greatest fears. It can be difficult to find objective facts. Turn to public record in order to check facts that sound questionable. Step outside of your comfort zone and learn more about the group who didn’t vote for your person. Listen to their concerns. Learn more about the other team’s supporters. Speak up about your values if you see something that doesn’t fit the bill for a loving, positive future. Remember, the government officials are your employees. The President works for you, so say something if you see something you don’t like. Listen in as cultural strategist Jamie Gordon and Melanie Cole, MS, discuss how to recover from the election, as well as suggestions for eliminating negativity.

It can be tough to get started on a fitness regimen. How should you begin for the best results? If you like the environment or structured exercise classes, a gym is a great fit for you. However, you don’t have to join a gym to start getting fit. It’s helpful to be accustomed to lifestyle activity and formal fitness to get the most out of a gym membership. If you’re brand new to fitness, the best way to start is with lifestyle activity. Park farther away from the store and walk three minutes to the store entrance. Get off at a different bus stop and walk to your destination. Take the stairs. Leave the couch and move around during television commercials. You can also start lifting heavy things to improve your strength. This will get you used to moving around before you embark on a formal exercise program. You can get started with a good pair of walking or running shoes so you can intentionally be active. Get a firm sole that isn’t elevated. You can easily get started with a brisk walk. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes of formal physical activity each week. This means it is performed 10-15 minutes at a time. You can have a meal and take a walk afterwards. Do this after breakfast and dinner every day and you’ll reach the target. The goal is to help the digestive system, kicking up the metabolism and getting the blood moving. How do you stay motivated on your fitness regimen? Know yourself and how much you want to engage. Find something that works for you. Here are some other motivation tips: Find social support. You may not feel like working out, but you want to support your friend who needs to workout. You work out anyway to help your friend, getting your fitness done in the process. Use fitness time as a way to escape the noise of daily life. It’s a great chance to take time for yourself without distractions. Involve the dog. Dogs are creatures of habit. They will motivate you to take them on a walk Exercise is medicine. You’ll have better health, balance, physical composition and mental health by pursuing some form of physical activity. Listen in as Barbara Ainsworth, MPH, PhD, shares tips on starting your fitness regimen.

Fall is full of delicious, sweet foods that can brighten your dinner table.FruitsTree fruits are ready this time of year, including many varieties of seasonal apples available in different parts of the country. Some are better fresh and others are great for baking. Consider apple picking to get some exercise. Pomegranates are also in season. Pomegranates are a superfood, but the downfall is that it takes a lot of work to get the seeds from the fruit. You may opt to cut them in half and bang the seeds out with a spoon. Don't throw the seeds away, as they also have nutritional value. Try them in salads or atop yogurt.Other seasonal fruits include pears, grapefruit, figs and dates. It’s best to eat the entire fruit so you get the fiber, feel fuller and ultimately consume fewer calories. Consider jellies and jams if you have a large haul of seasonal fruits.VegetablesOf course, it is also squash season. Butternut squash is popular for soups and salads. Acorn and spaghetti squash are two other delicious options. Delicata, which has a look similar to a melon, has a delicate skin, so you can eat the skin if you roast it. Potatoes are also big this time of year. Holiday tables are filled with dishes from white and sweet potatoes. Brussels sprouts are ripening. You can saute them and pair them with pomegranates. Peel the outer layer off when you cook your Brussels sprouts. Save that outside layer to bake into chips. Root vegetables are plentiful in autumn. Carrots are common. Parsnips and turnips are delicious but might be unfamiliar. You can roast them or put them in a soup. They’re great substitutes for mashed potatoes. Cauliflower is also ready. You can find cauliflower in different colors and different breeds. It’s great for roasting, sauteing and soup. Pumpkin is very popular around Halloween and Thanksgiving. Pumpkins for carving aren’t the same as the ones intended for eating. You can buy canned, cooked pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and flavored with yummy spices. You can use these for dips and desserts. Indian corn for decoration is edible. Put your decorative corn in a brown paper bag and toss it in the microwave to make popcorn. If you’re having trouble finding recipes, try Pinterest or Google for inspiration.Listen in as Dr. Felicia Stoler shares the cornucopia of fall produce.

You can make the most of life by taking charge of your own health.There is now a curriculum to incorporate exercise as medicine in medical school. Exercise is more powerful than any medication.The three things that can really improve individual health are:1. Exercise2. Good nutrition3. Eliminating behavior that is harmful to your health like smokingAdults should do 150 minutes or more of moderate exercise per week. A brisk walk five days a week for 30 minutes would fulfill that requirement. It should be so intense you couldn't sing but not so intense you can't talk.Small amounts of exercise will help. Fifteen minutes of physical activity per day can cut mortality by almost 15 percent. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking the car farther away can improve your health.Strength training can reduce bone and muscle mass loss. Weight lifting strengthens both bones and muscles. Women don't need to worry about bulking up from strength training.Today's children have greater health risks, because we have a more sedentary culture. Make sure your children get moving. Physical education is important in schools. Community activities can be a fun way to get them moving.Do what you can. Don't be afraid to start slow. Fixing your fitness level can help reduce your health care expenses.Listen in as Dr. Bob Sallis shares how you can improve your health with the right dosage of exercise.

The knee is a hinge joint with tendons and ligaments on all sides. It’s only intended to move in one plane, front and back. Some sports require rapid change of direction while on the knee. The tendons and ligaments that should stabilize can be damaged. There are two major types of knee injuries. In sports enthusiasts who play burst activity, knee issues usually involve ligaments and muscles being torn. The older crowd faces knee pain from gradual degenerative disorders, often with the joint itself or the cartilage. You can usually remember the exact moment your knee was injured, pinpointing a specific instance when the pain started. You may hear a pop. You may have some swelling a few hours after the injury. You may not be able to stop the activity because of the pain. If you’ve just injured your knee, the inflammatory phase lasts about three days. Use the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, elevation. There are some preventative measures you can take. While you can’t alter genetics and the angle of your knee joint, you can strengthen your knees. A combination of aerobics, resistance, flexibility and balance training will make you less likely to run into injuries than being an occasional sports participant. Warming up plays a significant role in preventing injury. Some antibiotics and medications can make you more prone to certain injuries. It may be best to refrain from exercise until any illness has passed. A proper program for joint recovery can provide good results or knee injury. It strengthens the tendons and ligaments. It also stimulates production of the shock absorption fluid in the knees. When you return to physical activity you may want to work slower and with fewer reps. It’s best to work just below the pain threshold. Give yourself a three to six month break from the exercise that led to the injury. Low impact exercises are best for healing. Try swimming, cycling, or fast walking. Pull back if you have difficulty. Braces are handy early in the healing process, but your knee needs some stress to strengthen itself.Listen in as Dr. John Higgins discusses how you can take care of your knees.

"Carb" isn’t a dirty word, but it has developed a connotation of being an unnecessary indulgence. Carbohydrates are an important part of any diet. In fact, carbohydrates are present in fruits, vegetables and legumes. They’re responsible for the glucose you need in your brain and spinal cord. Low carbohydrate diets still contain carbohydrates. People tend to go too far when reducing the carbs in their diets. You should eat carbohydrates in foods as part of meals. If you’re eating spaghetti and meatballs, the carbs in the noodles would be a necessary part of dinner. The basket full of bread sticks would be an unnecessary part of dinner. Portion control will also help with your unnecessary carb consumption. Restaurants serve huge portions. The “clean your plate” attitude at home can lead to excessive carb consumption. Learn the appropriate portion for your body, and save the leftovers for another meal. Eat less added sugar. A glass of orange juice contains naturally occurring sugar. A glass of orange soda contains added sugars. Look for foods that have naturally occurring sugars and don’t require added sugars in the processing. The source of the sugars in your food is more important than the label’s sugar measurement. Most people don’t need to go to extremes when eliminating foods from the diet. Have you earned what you’re eating? An active lifestyle can balance out the foods you’re consuming.You should get about half your energy from carbohydrates, emphasizing vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Sugar consumption is sometimes a problem for those who eat too much fruit per day. Find a good source of protein to meet your protein needs and eat reasonable portions. Use olive oil for cooking. Consume healthy fats. Listen in as Dr. Brian Parr shares how you can sensibly enjoy carbs.