Alexandra Williams, MA
Article Archive
Many greens that are high in nutritional value don’t get the same amount of love and attention as, say, kale. For example, dandelion greens rank high in beta-carotene and contain vitamin E, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, potassium and zinc. Best picked when young, these bitter greens also support kidney functioning and toxin removal. Known for…
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It’s so tempting to say, “Freekeh Friday,” but freekeh is actually good for you any day of the week. An ancient grain (mentioned as early as the 13th century), freekeh is made from green wheat that’s sun-dried, roasted, thrashed and then further sun-dried.
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When viewing food logos, obese children show less activity in regions of the brain associated with self-control than do their healthy-weight counterparts, reports The Journal of Pediatrics.
Researchers from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and the University of Kansas Medical Center tested youth aged 10–14, using both self-reported measures of self-control and functional magnetic resonance imaging, which tracks blood flow as a measure of brain activity.
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More whole-grain good news, this time from Sweden. Over 5,500 Swedish residents tracked and measured their intake of whole and refined grains. Ten years later, those who ate more than 59 g (about 2 ounces) of whole grains per day were 27% less likely to becomeprediabetic than those who ate 30 g or less. \
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The National Consumer Research Institute has come out with its list of the five top health trends. The institute studied health-related attitudes and behavior in the U.S. to formulate trends expected to make headlines for the rest of the year.
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Curious to try freekeh, yet not sure where to go after eating it as a hot cereal?
Blogger, amateur chef and former high-school teacher Lauren Martin created this slow-cooker recipe. If you don’t eat meat, it’s just as delicious if you leave out the chicken and substitute vegetarian broth.
2 bone-in chicken breasts
½ C (dry) freekeh
1 large carrot
2 celery stalks
1 medium-sized yellow onion
½ C butternut squash, cubed
2 T fresh sage leaves, chopped
½ T smoked paprika
(or regular paprika)
½ T rosemary
1 t garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
It’s so tempting to say, “Freekeh Friday,” but freekeh is actually good for you any day of the week. An ancient grain (mentioned as early as the 13th century), freekeh is made from green wheat that’s sun-dried, roasted, thrashed and then further sun-dried.
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Do you want your kids to perceive you as a lovable and talented dinner chef? Try adding vegetables to the nighttime meal. In a recent study, published online by Public Health Nutrition (2012 [1–7]; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012004673), researchers discovered that meal preparers were rated higher on qualities such as “loving,” “thoughtful,” “attentive” and “capable” when they included vegetables with the meal.
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The Federal Trade Commission has released its Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents, and the conclusions indicate that there is still much to be done if industry self-regulation of food marketing to children is to become an effective way to protect the health of minors. The 2012 report is a follow-up to the FTC’s 2008 report, which Congress requested in response to dramatic increases in childhood obesity rates.
Four of the Marketing Methods
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It may sound counterintuitive, yet new research from the University of Missouri, Columbia, suggests that eating fewer, larger meals may prove healthier for obese women than eating smaller meals more often. More specifically, consuming three substantial meals per day instead of six small meals may decrease obese women’s risk of developing heart disease.
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According to a recent study by researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Southern California, there is a correlation between frequent use of high-fructose corn syrup and higher rates of type 2 diabetes. The findings were published online in Global Public Health (doi:10.1080/17441692.2012.736257).
Analyzing data on HFCS availability in 42 countries, the researchers found an 8% rate of diabetes in countries where use of the sweetener is high versus a 6.7% rate in countries where it is not used.
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Preadolescence is a time of major change and growth, bringing psychological, physical and social shifts for boys and girls alike. Caught between the carefree days of childhood and the first throes of being a teenager, “tweens” (roughly aged 9–12) are a force to be reckoned with. Like many other populations, preadolescents are suffering from lack of exercise, which threatens to chart a course toward obesity and disease.
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Thirty years ago there was really just one option in group fitness: high-impact aerobics. Now, as IDEA Health & Fitness Association turns 30, there are many wonderful choices. It’s impossible to list the current top 30. Here, we review some of the programs that are enticing people into the world of group exercise. From the…
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Since 1980, global obesity has more than doubled. Sixty-five percent of the world’s people now live in countries where overweight and obesity cause more deaths than underweight. In 2010, nearly 43 million children below the age of 5 were overweight (WHO 2011). In spite of global awareness and isolated attempts to face this crisis head-on, the fact remains that our kids are fat and getting fatter.
Obesity is preventable. If we don’t help our children find their way out of the downward spiral of obesity, what will their world be like when they grow up?
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As a manager or director, you’re constantly keeping your ears and eyes open at your facility for potential new trainers and instructors. That’s smart. What’s even smarter is also to use social media, such as Twitter™, Facebook and LinkedIn®, to support your search.
For many years, clubs have successfully offered in-house training programs as a recruitment tool. Most of the “fishing” has been through in-house communications: member announcements, one-on-one solicitations of star students, member inquiries, staff recommendations and so on.
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What is sexual health? One definition includes the phrase “a capacity to enjoy and control sexual behavior without fear, shame or guilt” (Mosby’s Medical Dictionary 2009). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the term in part as “a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality” (WHO 2011). Sexual dysfunction is broadly defined as “disorders that interfere with a full sexual response cycle. These disorders make it difficult for a person to enjoy or to have sexual intercourse” (Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine 2008).
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There is much talk about certification, accreditation and licensure in the fitness industry today. As you start your career, it is important to have a grasp of this trio of topics because they can affect your ability to get hired and work legally. Just the terms themselves and their word cousins can be very confusing-—so confusing, in fact, that this article includes a glossary to help you navigate through and clearly understand the differences among them.
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July 2013; $10 per class in July 2014;
$12.50 per class in July 2015; and finally
$15 per class beginning in July 2016
(Fitness Australia 2010).
Until the outcome of an appeal filed by
Fitness Australia is known, these fees will be
collected and held in a “suspense” account,
to be paid to the PPCA or refunded to the
fitness facilities accordingly (Fitness
Australia 2010).
Many people know where to go to find Thai food, yet are unsure where to find Thailand. The country is bordered to the north and west by Burma; to the north and east by Laos; and to the southeast by Cambodia. The southern, skinny “tail” is between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, with Malaysia at the very southern tip.
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At the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles August 5, the glitz, glamour and glee were ubiquitous as IDEA honored five outstanding contributors to the world of fitness and health during the 2010 IDEA World Fitness Convention™. Innovators in their communities, inspirational around the world and determined to make positive, lasting change, this year’s award recipients shone in the spotlight they so rightly deserved.
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