Future Youth

Day Thirteen :Shake Your Salt Habit:- You know that your body needs salt—but did you know that it needs only a quarter teaspoon a day? There’s no doubt



Whatever that salt, a guest almost every kitchen table in America, can contribute to high blood pressure. Even moderate cutbacks in salt can help bring a persons’s blood pressure down to healthier levels.


But unfortunately, salt like fat,canbe hard to avoid because so much of it is invisible—tucked into processed foods,commercial baked goods and fast foods,Soft drinks can be notoriously high in the stuff: So even if you’ve virtuously replaced the salt in your shaker with an herbal mixture, you used in your homemade pasts recipe, the cheese you’re eating to boost calcium levels. A little vigilance is in order!


The other problem is that salt is a little bit”additictive,” If you try to go cold Turkey, foods may taste flavorless at first. There are several ways around this dilemma. One is a little creative herbcraft, which puts even better flavor into foods.


And the salt craving usually diminish overtime. Scientists at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine Illustrated it was so. They restricted the sodium intake of 43 people aged 25 to 49 .Another ground had no salt reduction. At the end of six months, both groups were served salted and unsalted soups, and were asked to mix the two until the soup reached the desired level of saltiness. The low


Sodium subjects reduced their salting level more than 5 0 percent, while other ground had virtually unchanged tastes.


A diet moderately low in sodium contains 2200 to 3,000 milligrams of sodium


Per day-the equivalent of about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons. If your diet is heavy on the prepared and processed foods, and if you eat in restaurants – or friends’s house,


For that mater-it is quite likely you’re getting too much salt.


Use the Superfoods chart to estimate your sodium intake during at least two days you tracked the first week. If you find that the figure is high, it‘s time to take action! Continues……..


Thanks for Patience Reading


MR

Future Youth

Day Eleven: Check your calcium: This is the week to hug a farmer: because the milk they squeeze from cows and the greens they pull from the earth are among the best sources of a nutrient that’s vital to staying healthy and active calcium.



Women, play special attention. You’re most susceptible to a disease called osteoporosis , thinning and weakening of the bones, a problem which some experts say is virtually an epidemic among older American females. Calcium may help prevent the disease. And even help prevent the disease. And even if you’ve already started to lose bone density, adequate amounts of calcium plus regular exercise can help stop the loss and strengthen the bones you have left.


But this milk’s for you too, Bud!. It’s not just women who should keep calcium intake up. Studies suggest that calcium may help prevent high blood pressure significantly in some hypertensives. Other studies report that calcium has been used successfully to treat gum disease and to lower blood fats. Some people even claim that taking extra calcium has relieved their muscle crams and spasms.


Just how much calcium do you need? The current Recommended Dietary Allowance is 800 milligrams(mg) per day for adults. But Experts generally agree that some people need more, possibly 1200 mg per day for teenagers,1,000mg for women aged 20 until the onset of menopause, and from 1,000 to 1,500 mg after menopause.
Calcium should add Are you getting enough calcium? A federal survey shows that up to 50 percent of men aged 18 to 34 don’t get enough calcium in their diet,and two-thirds of women between 18 and 74 are falling short!
So use the Superfoods chart to estimate your calcium intake for at least two days in Week 1. How did you do?


Getting enough calcium isn’t always easy. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are calcium-rich tend to contain a fair amount of fat and sodium too, like some cheeses and milk. Many Americans—like people of Eastern European, Asian and African descent—can’t digest lactose, the form of sugar in milk (although lactose-free milk is available in many stores). In addition, milk triggers food allergies for many people.


If you’re definitely down on dairy products, it is possible to get enough calcium from other sources. It gets into cow milk, after all, from the green they graze on. Infact, a study which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the calcium intake of today’s hunter-gather tribes who eat no dairy products is more than 1,500 mg per day! Consult the Superfoods chart to see which foods to hunt and gather for your daily fare. Fish with soft bones that you can eat—like sardines and salmon—are good bets. So are green, leafy vegetables;chick-peas;figs;black-strpmolasses;oranges;broccoli;navybeans; soy products like to tofu:shellfish like scallops and shrimp; and nuts like brazil nuts, almonds and filberts.


Annemarie Colbin, director of the Natural Gourmet Cookery School, in New York City,and author of the The Book Of Whole Meals(Ballantine),recommends that people eat greens like kale, collards and mustard greens to maximize calcium intake. “People don’t eat them enough,because they cook them wrong and then these kinds of greens can taste too bitter.” Colbin maintains that steaming the “bitter “ greens for a few minutes ,isn’t enough. “I boil them for 10 minutes, uncovered so they don’t turn brown. Then I scoop them out, chop them up, sauté in olive oil with garlic, and dust with a tiny bit of nutmeg. Delicious!”


If you do love milk, the calcium requirement will be a snap. A glass of low-fat milk contains about 300 mg of calcium, several eight -ounce glasses would meet the


Recommended Dietary Allowance. An other plus: Milk is rich in other vitamins and


Minerals which may enhance calcium’s effectiveness.” Research indicates that milk may also protect against colon and rectal cancer, because the calcium with the assistance of vitamin D may form compounds that flush harmful fatty acids from the body. Low-fat yogurts and cheeses are fine ways to meet your calcium reqirement too, though thy don’t contain much vitamin D.


If your diet is irregular,or you can see that you’re not getting enough calcium


From food alone, you may wish to take a calcium supplement. Chapter 5 explains what to look for in a supplement.


If hypertension is a problem, think potassium when you think calcium. Together


These minerals may work even more effectively to pull down blood pressure. Foods


That are high in both potassium and calcium include yogurt,sardines, milk,buttermilk salmon,broccoli,almonds and soybeans. Otherpotassium-rich foods to indulge in: apricots,avocados,bananas, poatoes, cantaloupe and turkey.
And remember tokeep walking. Calcium will do its job best if you’re getting regular exercise.
Thanks for Patience
MR

Future Youth

Day Ten
Simple Hand And Leg Stretching Exercises

From a Standing Position. Legs should be shoulder-width apart,arms at your side.


Fully Body Stretch. Inhale slowly and as you do, bring your arms as you do, bring your arms above your head, go up on your toes and reach up as high as you can. Hold a second or two, then exhale, bringing arms down and heels back to the floor. Repeat three times.


Reach-Overs.Drop your right hand down so it touches and trails down the side of your right thigh to your knee, as you lean from your waist to your right. Your left upper arm should be raised close to your ear, left hand pointing to the right. Stretch by moving our left arm a little further to the right. Stretch eight times to your. Then,


Drop your left arm, burl slightly forward And over to the left side, bring up the right arm, and stretch eight times to the left side. This stretches the waist and side of the body.


Neck streches.Stand upright again. Facing forward, tilt your head to the right, so your right ear approaches your right shoulder, and hold a second. Repeat to the left.


Do slowly three times on each side. Then, bring your head forward and down,so thin approaches chest. Hold,then tilt your head back so you’re looking straight up. Repeat three times, slowly.


Now, swivel your head so you’re looking out over your right shoulder. (Keep shoulders facing forward.) Hold. Then turn head slowly to left. Hold Repeat three Times in each direction, remembering to breathe.



Calf Stretch. Especially good for walkers. Stand about two feet from a wall, facing it. Put your palms against the wall, at about shoulder height and shoulder-width apart. Step forward with your right foot so it’s only about a foot from the wall.


Both heels should be on the ground. Bends your right knee and bring your hips gently toward the wall, so you feel a stretch in the back of your left calf. Hold for five breaths. Repeat five times. Reverse legs and repeat.


Sitting Stretches Sit on the floor, with your legs together, straight out in fron of you.


Spine Stretch.Lean forward and grasp your legs as far down as you can without straining—at your lower calfs, ankles or toes. Gently drop your head and stretch your forward. Your elbows should naturally bend and go outside of your legs. Your head should approach your knees,and your back should be rounded. Hold. This stretches thighs, legs and gluteals. Stretch forward eight times. You should feel the stretch in your upper back as you relax the spine.


Side to Side. Sit up and spread your legs as far apart as is comfortable. Then,bring your right heel in to your inner thigh. Your left leg should be out straight. Gently,stretch out over your left leg, reaching both arms forward. Put both hands as far down on you left leg as you confortably can. Bend elbows, drop head , round your back, relax shoulders and gently stretch downward eight times. This stretches your spine and leg muscles. Come up, and reverse, so your left heel is in to your thigh And your right leg is out. Stretch right eight times.


Then with both legs straightened and spread out, put your hands infront of your thighs on the floor and stretch forward, relaxing your shoulders and being your elbows. This stretches your inner thighs.


If you experience any pain as the result of performing these exercises, be sure to check with your doctor. And always be sure to warm up before you stretch
Thanks for patience
MR

Future Youth

Day Nine
Start Day With a Small Exercise
If that sounds like you on a typical weekday morning, make your breakfast—or part of it—the night before. Set your cereal bowl and spoon. Select a piece of fruit and wash it—and place the paring knife where you”ll be able to find it quickly in the morning, Then you can eat breakfast on automatic pilot.


If you’re not used to eating breakfast, start with small portions. “If the thought of eating breakfast disgusts you, try small amounts to begin with, even if it’s only a slice of toast or little cereal with milk,”


Too big a breakfast can leave you groggy, especially if you’re not used to it, adds Dr. Morgan. “The effect on performance is the equivalent of not getting a good night’s

Sleep. So whatever you do about breakfast, be consistent. If you eat light breakfast
Will make you feel groggy and dull.”


STRECH YOURSELF: A Good stretching program can increase flexibility regardless of your age. “People can definitely become more flexible as they get older instead of less.”says Katz.”But, like everything else,it take consistent practice. You don’t have to stretch every single day if you don’t want. But do stretch before you exercise, and try to do a full stretching routine two or three times a week. Don’t skip a week.”


This stretching routine was developed by Katz. Before you start,a few rules.


• Before you begin stretching, take a few controlled deep breaths, to relax and expand your lungs and rib case, and creat a deeper awareness of your body. Try to count to 15 as you inhale,and 15 as you exhale, Repeat ten times.


• Use gentle, slow, deliberate movements. Go to the point where you feel the muscle stretch—but no pain—and hold that position.


• Remember to breathe as you stretch. And exhale as you release the tension from your muscles.


• Repeat the movement until you feel the stretch again. Don’t bounce.

• Next lock your joints especially your knees.


You”ll find that these exercise stretch with you—that this is over time you’ll be able to do more and more. It’s a very basic routine. You may want to supplement it with stretches to suit your particular needs.


Thanks for patience reading


MR

Future Youth

Day Eight Go For a Better Breakfast



Walk for 7 days 15 minutes in the morning about a  ¾ mile.


Sid feels nauseous when faced with food before 10.00 am, on the contrary  Irma feels opposite—she feels queasy all morning if she doesn’t eat.
Breakfast:
Some people can’t live without it.  Should people like Sid be urged to overcome their dislike of the morning meal? Maybe.


“By late morning people who skip breakfast are likely to feel sluggish and dull. After going without food from 8.00pm. on, energy, levels will dip at around ll.00A.M.the next day,as blood sugar levels drop’But studies also have shown that high-carbohydrate meals make people sleepy.A high-carbohydrate meal elevates levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that makes you feel sleepy.


“The sedating effect of a high carbohydrate breakfast is more noticeable past the age of 40”says Dr, Morgan. “For some reason, many people in their twenties and thirties seem to be able to compensate and concentrate despite poor breakfat habits.


“Protien seems to counteract the sedating effect of carbohydrates. So the ideal breakfast is a combination of carbohydrates and protein”,


So-called larks—people who do their best in the morning –may withstande skipping breakfast better than others, because their energy levels are on the upswing. “But by and


Large ,skipping breakfast deprives your brain of the energy it needs to function at its best”


“If you don’t perform well in the moring ,try eating breakfast,” says Judith J. Wurtman, Ph.D.,research scientist at the Massachusetts Institure of Technology in Cambridge. “It’s that simple.”
Skipping breakfast to forgo the calories—as many dieters do—is doubly defeating, according to Dr.Morgan. “Cutting calories in general often makes dieters feel lousy. Skipping breakfast will only make them feel worse . People who are trying to lose weight are better off consuming say, 1000 calories in three meals instead of two, because their metabolism revs up to digest each meal, burning extra calories in the process. So weight-watachers will lose more quickly if they eat part of their daily calories at breakfast.”


Experts offer the following strategies to overscome themost common reasons for skipping—or skimping on –breakfast:
Have a midmorning snack—or an early luch. If you have neither the time nor the appetite for an early-bird breakfast, brown bag it—or buy something nourshing on theway—and eat at your workplace,


“If you wait until 10.00A.M.to eat breakfast, that’s O .K., says Dr. Morgan.”Or you can take an early lunch, as they do in Scandinavia. People there eat lunch at around 11.00A.M.
Don’t typecast your breakfast. If you are bored with conventional breakfast choices(cereal,toast,eggs,juice)or breakfast foods simply don’t appeal to you at all—eat something you do like. A turkey sandwich,suggest Dr. Morgank is a perfect example of combination of protein and carbohydrates that can keep your energy levels from flagging before midday. So is a grilled cheese sandwich.


“Look to other cultures for ideas for interesting,nutritious breakfasts,”suggests Dr.Wurtman. “In Japanh, breakfast typically includes fish, seaweed and cooked rice. A typical Israeli breakfast may include cucumbers,tomatoes, low fat cheese, smoked fish and fruit.


And in Holland and other parts of Europe ,cheese and bread are standard breakfast fare.


Thinking beyond stereotypical breakfast food also helps if you’re allergic to eggs, wheat and milk, three common food allergens that happen to be themainstay of many breakfasts.


Nothing in the fridge? Improvise Say you have plenty of cereal but the milk’s


Gone sour. Or all that remains of the loaf of bread are two stale ens. If breakfast pickings are slim, look at what you do have. Leftover roast chickenand an apple: low-fat-roast chicken and an apple;low-fat-cottage chese of yougurt with cantaloupe; crakers and tuna or cold salmon sprinkled with lemon juice – all make great breakfasts ( and perup jaded tase buds, too!).


Prepare your breakfast the night beore. “I just can’t make food decisions in the morning says one woman. “It’s hard enough to decide what to wear to work.


Thanks for Patience Reading


M.R.

Future Youth

Day Seven


Try a New Start

What better way to get your year off to a good start than by betting your days off to a good start?

That’s what you’ll be doing for the next two weeks: Improving your morning foods and moods.

Start at the beginning ,with wake-up. When you open your eyes in the morning ,do you take a few moments to celebrate the new day? Or is awakening the signal for little starting gates in your mind to swing open: your list of things “To Do” gallops out and you spend the rest of the day chasing after it?

If your money’s on the “To Do List, then you probably need help to relax. Sure you just spent the night sleeping, but that’s not the kind of relaxation we’re talking about. We’re referring to the stress management techniques that can help you be more optimistic, self-confident and productive on a day-to-day basis, and that in the long run may help lengthen your life by countering the comulative impact of stress on your health.

These techniques, induce a state of consciousness that’s different from waking or sleeping. Practitioners have described it as profound rest combined with heightened awareness. You need

To practice this kind of relaxation regularly to reap the benefits.

The technique you’re going to learn this week is a kind of meditation, which involves sitting quietly and being aware of your breathinhg. Morning is a very good time to meditate.”For two reasons” “First it’s usually quite in the morning ,so you don’t have as many distractions”.The Other reason,is that it goes a long way toward getting your day off to the right kind of start. I can easily slip into a frustrated anxiety-ridden way of thinking in the morning . What I usually do insteat, first when I wake up, is watch my breathing. Even when I’m still in bed. It’s nice to start the day form a quiet, centered place

HOW TO MEDITATE: There are many different schools of meditations at your place Like Korean Zen Buddhist techniques and Transcendental Meditation organization which promotes a simplified form of yoga. The latter is the best-documented scientifically in terms of physiological changes and benefits ,but unfortunately can be a relatively expensive activity.

There is a eight step method of relaxation ,Before you begin the technique, find a quiet environment free of distractions and a “Do Not Disturb “.

1. Chose a word or phrase a“mantra” like love or peace or any gods name. The word should have a soothing sound. Once you pick the word, you should stick with it. Because you’ll come to associate the word with calming effects.

2. Sit upright in a comfortable position , with your hands resting naturally in your lap

3. Let your eyes close gently.

4. Take a few moments to relax your muscles.

5. Now breathing normally, become aware of each breath. Working with the slow, natural rhythm of your breathing ,repeat your focus word silently on every exhale.

6. Disregard distractions. Thoughts,imagery and feeling may drift into your awareness.”One

Would not concentrate on these perceptions, but allow them to pass on .

7. Continue the technique for 10 to 20 minutes. Use your judgment or sneak an occasional

peek at a wrist watch. Don’t use a timer or alarm clock, because the noise can be too jarring. When your time is up, remin quite, with your eyes closed for minutes , to allow your thoughts to adjust to wakefulness.

8. Do this twice a day. Before breakfast and dinner are good times.

Thanks for patience reading


MR

Future Youth

Day Six


Pretty impressive. How does fiber do it. The First thing to understand is that whereas fiber is not a nutrient, is affects the way the body absorbs nutrients. It can add bulk to the diet,relieving constipation. It may bind to cholesterol and flush it from the body, which in the long run means lower risk of heart disease. It speeds up the digestive process. It speeds up the digestive process, possibly minimizing exposure to harmful wastes in the intestinal tact, which means protection against colon cancer. And it may slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream, which is a boon for diabetics.

If you are an average American you’re probably consuming about 15 grams of fiber a day_rougly half the protective amount.(Consult the Superfoods chart and your food diary to compute the amount you’re actually eating.)

*It really isn’t all that difficult to get enough fiber. A cup of 100percent bran cereal, one apple, one patato with skin, a necatarine, halt cup of split peas and half cup of cooked spinach a day supply about 47 grams.

*Your dietary fiber sould come from a variety of sources, like whole-grain foods, vegetables, fruits nuts and dried beans. Variety is the key word here because all fibers are not alike. Wheat

Bran, for example, relives constipation, but it is a matter of some controversy as to whether it can

Lower cholesterol levels. On the other hand, oat and corn bran can lower blood cholesterol levels. So can pectin, one of the forms of fiber found the produce like pears,bananas, apples,tomatoes and carrots. But neither oat bran nor pecatin can relieve constipation. That’s

Why variety is so important.

*Snack on fresh fruit. It’s light, energizing and high in vitamins and you-know-what. Top

Ranking fruits, fiber –wise, are dried prunes,pears,nectarines and blackberries.

*Legumes—peas,soybeans,lentils and chick peas—are super-high in fiber,outdoing most fruits and vegetables. A can of baked beans provides more than 7 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams (3/1/2 ounces)of beans,outdoing raw broccoli, which provides jut 1.4 grams per 100grams.

*Eat whole –grain breads and muffins. Use brown and muffins. Use brown nice instead of white.
If you determine that you need more fiber,the increase should be gradual,since you system

Needs time to adjust. Go slowly. Increase your intake of dietary fiber in easy stages. If you suddenly blitz yourbody with bran, you’ll experience intestinal distress. It will take a while for the helpful bacteria that live in your intestine to learn how to break down whole wheat, for example. The products of bacterial fermentation buld up, causing bloating and gas. So prepare

A sensible planfor adding fiber your meals.

Thanks for patience reading

MR