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PURE FOODS n' VIMALA'S KITCHEN
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"Here's to your health!" You may hear this toast often, but many of alcohol's effects on the body may actually be harmful
to your health. It all depends on how you approach it. The health hazards associated with heavy alcohol consumption are well documented and range from liver damage to heart disease.
Just one night of heavy drinking can cause short-term maladies including headache, body aches, fatigue, nausea, and dehydration.
And when heavy drinking becomes a pattern, it puts immense strain on vital organs, jeopardizing a person's health and making
his or her RealAge much older. But alcohol, in moderation, can be good for your health. A growing body of research shows moderate drinkers enjoy lower
risks of heart attack and stroke and may live longer than nondrinkers or heavy drinkers. After years of demonizing the drink,
some health experts now recommend a moderate serving of red wine, a nip of scotch, or a bit of beer each day. This is generally
considered good news, but it has also caused some confusion. Health experts disagree about alcohol's role in a healthy lifestyle. Although some doctors advocate a daily drink, other
doctors question the value of alcohol consumption of any kind. Also, people are sometimes unsure of the definition of "moderate"
-- a critical distinction. "Moderate" can mean different things to different people. For some people it means having a glass or two of wine every
night with dinner. For others it means drinking only on the weekends. Still others believe that partaking only at special
events and celebrations is the definition of a moderate drinker. This makes it hard for people to know whether their particular
drinking habits fit the "healthful" mold or whether they are putting their health on the rocks. So what about your habits? Are you drinking too much?Just enough? Are you hurting your health if you don't
drink at all? And how does your age and gender affect the equation? For people who choose to drink, striking a moderate balance can take careful research as well as practice and experience.
The maximum amount recommended by RealAge for Age Reduction benefits, is no more than one drink of wine, beer, or liquor
per day for most women, and two drinks per day for most men. This also is the general recommendation given by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Although these guidelines may seem straightforward, studies and surveys reveal a strong possibility this recommendation
could be misinterpreted. Many people tend to wing it when it comes to estimating the size of their drink or its alcohol content,
and this can lead to unintentional overimbibing. For example, you may think you're having only one drink when, because of the amount of alcohol in your drink, you're really
having two; a small serving of the stronger beers, lagers, and spirits may contain many times the recommended daily amount
of alcohol. Or the size of your glass may trick your eyes and lead to larger serving sizes than would be appropriate for maximum
RealAge benefits. The amount of alcohol a drink contains depends on many factors. Usually, the alcohol content is determined by fermentation,
but different brewing styles and fermentation durations also mean there is little uniformity. RealAge considers a standard drink to be about half an ounce of alcohol. This corresponds roughly to:
However, some drinks contain more than the typical amount of alcohol. The alcohol content can range from about 4% to as
high as 18% or more for some beers and wines. Standard shot measurements of alcohol used by bartenders make it easier to gauge
how much booze is in your mixed drink, but different glass sizes and heavy pours could result in too big of a drink. Even
when mixing a drink yourself, you could make it too strong if you just eyeball it. An occasional heavy pour or stiff drink is generally not cause for too much alarm, although if
you consume alcohol regularly, your best bet is to stick to modest serving containers -- standard size glasses, tumblers,
or shot glasses -- and to consult the label for information on alcohol by volume (ABV) or proof.
You want your single serving of alcohol to contain about half a fluid ounce of alcohol, or about 12 grams. Access the University of Prince Edward Island's chart of the alcohol content of common beverages. Another area of confusion regarding the definition of moderate drinking lies in the distribution of drinks throughout the
week. Having several drinks on Saturday night is not equivalent to having one drink each evening, as some might believe. These
two patterns have very different health implications. A recent study comparing two groups of drinkers -- one that drank one serving of alcohol every
day and another that had several drinks one day per week -- revealed that once-a-week drinkers had more abdominal fat than
daily drinkers. Known as binge drinking, this type
of drinking behavior makes your RealAge older because excess abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Binge drinking may also contribute to atrial fibrillation, a heart-rhythm disturbance that causes the upper chambers of
the heart to quiver. This decreases the heart's ability to pump blood and increases a person's risk of developing blood clots
and having a stroke. Calculate your alcohol consumption over the last week with this tool from the British United Provident Association. Most of the epidemiological studies about moderate alcohol consumption suggest the biggest benefits of moderate drinking
are to the cardiovascular system. Dozens of studies connect moderate drinking with a reduced risk of heart attack, ischemic stroke, peripheral vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, and death from all cardiovascular causes. There are many possible explanations for these protective effects. Randomized trials consistently demonstrate that moderate
daily alcohol intake appears to significantly increase HDL-cholesterol levels. Higher levels of this “good” cholesterol
are associated with reductions in coronary heart disease risk. Studies also suggest moderate alcohol consumption may help
prevent stroke by decreasing blood levels of a protein that promotes clot formation and increasing levels of an enzyme that
helps dissolve clots. But any benefits are negligible for people under 40. Men over 40 years of age who regularly drink between one and two drinks
per day are generally found to have the lowest all-cause mortality. For women, it appears the protective benefits of moderate
alcohol consumption may be irrelevant until after menopause. No evidence suggests that drinking in your 30s protects you from
having a heart attack in your 50s. The potential benefits of moderate drinking aren't limited to the heart, however. A long-term study reveals that type 2
diabetes is less likely to occur in moderate drinkers than in nondrinkers. Also, some evidence shows that moderate alcohol
consumption inhibits the formation of cholesterol-type gallstones. Some research suggests that consuming alcohol in moderate
amounts may help ward off Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia as well. There is no conclusive evidence that any one type of alcoholic drink offers more protection against heart disease than
another. Some studies suggest that wine's health benefits are superior to beer and liquor because of certain compounds in
red wine, such as resveratrol and flavonoids. But other studies document the same cardiovascular benefits with all three major forms of alcohol. If you do have an occasional drink, it can be easy to overdo it, even if you don't intend to. After one drink, inhibitions
become lowered and judgment can be impaired, making it difficult to adhere to your limits. Over time, anything beyond moderate drinking can lead to a chronic increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure associated
with heavy drinking makes the heart work harder than it needs to and can be a key risk factor for coronary heart disease,
leading to heart attacks and strokes. In addition, with increased intake of alcohol, levels of triglycerides in the blood
can become elevated, which could contribute to heart problems. Following alcohol's path through your body helps demonstrate how easy it is to overload your system and accelerate your
body's aging. After alcohol passes your lips, it travels into your stomach and small intestine, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Your blood alcohol content depends on how quickly you drink it, as well as on:
Once in your bloodstream, alcohol quickly travels through the blood via a network of arteries to your heart, brain, lungs,
and organs until it can be broken down. A small amount of the alcohol taken into the body leaves through the lungs, kidneys,
and skin, but it is your liver's job to break down the majority of the alcohol with enzymes, purging the blood and body of
alcohol's toxic by-products. However, this is a slow process. The liver can generally only process 1 ounce of liquor an hour. Consuming more than this
saturates your system, causing the additional alcohol to accumulate in the blood and body tissues until it can be metabolized.
The more alcohol in your blood, the greater the effect on your vital organs. Can you make up for any of the aging you may have caused your body from past overindulgences? Fortunately, if harmful drinking
habits are addressed at an early stage, many of the damaging effects can be reversed either by cutting back on, or abstaining
from, alcohol consumption. Find out more about moderate drinking from Moderation Management, a national support group network for cutting back or quitting. Identify risky drinking with this Boston University self-assessment tool, "How much is too much?" Abstaining from alcohol does not make your RealAge older. Most health experts agree that if you don't already drink, the
new research on the health benefits of alcohol is not a reason to start. Whether you choose to drink should also depend on your health interests and health concerns. Certain health conditions
require avoiding alcohol completely. Individuals who have liver or pancreatic disease or who have had a hemorrhagic stroke
should not consume alcohol because even small amounts could cause serious health complications. And you should refrain from
drinking alcohol if your doctor has identified any precancerous signs of cancer of the esophagus, larynx, pharynx, or mouth;
some studies suggest having two drinks a day greatly increases your risk for oral and esophageal cancers. It's also important to consider family history and personal concerns when it comes to drinking. For instance, those with
a family history of alcoholism have an increased risk of alcoholism themselves. Women with a strong family history of breast cancer might decide to forgo alcohol altogether because even small amounts
of alcohol may increase breast cancer risk by 30%. However, several recent studies suggest sufficient folate intake may modify
the association between alcohol intake and breast cancer risk. Individuals with conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, ulcers, severe acid reflux, and sleep
apnea should seek advice from their healthcare provider about alcohol consumption. Because alcohol is a depressant at elevated doses, long-term misuse or abuse can ultimately increase anxiety and cause
depression. It is also related to problems with sleeping and mood. Alcohol prevents deep sleep and interferes with REM-stage
sleep, the dreaming stage of sleep that stimulates the learning centers of the brain. When your blood-alcohol level drops,
you begin dreaming much later in the night. This change in sleep pattern may explain why people often feel irritable and somewhat
disoriented after a night of heavy drinking. Alcohol is not an essential part of RealAge living. It is not a health food or wonder drug. But for some people it can
be an enjoyable complement to a healthy RealAge lifestyle. Your approach to drinking must be reasonable and responsible. If
you practice moderation, alcohol can offer some valuable health benefits, particularly for people over 40.
Making smart food choices can help move
your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels into healthy ranges. Your goal is to limit your intake of foods that can wreak
havoc with your cholesterol levels and eat more of the foods that help reduce bad cholesterol or increase good cholesterol.
Start making smart choices today with these heart-friendly foods that help balance cholesterol.
To learn more about how your diet can make you younger, take the RealAge Nutrition Assessment. 1. Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber. Studies have shown that fiber-rich foods may help lower your levels of total and LDL cholesterol in a small way. Choose unprocessed oats instead of instant oatmeal; unprocessed oats have a lower glycemic index, which means they take longer to digest, help you feel fuller longer, and help keep your blood sugar levels steady -- all good things for your health and heart. Not a fan of oatmeal? Bake up these easy-to-like Date-Oat Muffins. 2. Strawberries, like oatmeal, are high in soluble fiber. And a high daily intake of fruit fiber may help lower LDL cholesterol in a small but significant way, which is exactly what you want for your heart. Other high-fiber fruits include raspberries, mangoes, and blueberries. Get in your fruit quota by whipping up this delicious Triple Berry Blender Blaster for breakfast. 3. Olive oil is high in heart-friendly monounsaturated fat. It's also rich in artery-friendly phenols (good-for-the-body plant compounds) and antioxidants. The best news about olive oil is that, as part of a heart-healthy diet, it can not only reduce LDL cholesterol but also raise HDL cholesterol levels. Other foods high in monounsaturated fat include almonds, peanut butter, avocados, fish, and certain vegetable oils, such as canola oil. Find out how olive oil can make your belly flat, too. 4. Almonds. Snack on a handful of nuts and you may lower your cholesterol even further. In a study, people who ate a handful of almonds (about 2 ounces) every day for 1 month experienced nearly a 10% reduction in their LDL cholesterol levels. Here's what's so great about almonds and how to eat them.
When profits, the market, and your own bank account dips, it’s no surprise if your mood
mirrors them. Depression is actually one of the ways your body sends a signal that something isn’t working quite right
and that you should be thinking of coping strategies to get your body and mind on the right track. If you’re too busy
to think of them while you’re trying to do three jobs -- or trying to get a job at all -- use these steps to keep your
mind under control. • Talk it out. We’re living in a world where there’s
too much talk. We’ve got talk shows, talking heads, and people who talk the talk but can’t walk the walk. Funny,
though, in a hypercommunicative society, many of us can’t talk about anything other than sports, soaps, or why the media
focuses so much attention on (fill in celebrity scandal of the day). The fact is that when it comes to reducing the effects
of depression, the biggest cure may not be in a pill bottle, but in making sure you don’t stay bottled up yourself.
In treating minor depression, talk therapy for 6 weeks is 60% to 70% successful, and it’s 90% successful when used in
conjunction with drugs. How does it work? Probably by releasing feel-good chemicals and by helping you learn new coping strategies.
Think shelling out for a therapist will stress you out even more right now? Just talking about your problems with your spouse,
your friends, or a taxi driver can help. • Go bananas. Eating a banana every day facilitates
both the cross talk among your brain cells and the effect of certain neurotransmitters (such as serotonin and its precursors)
that can make you feel better. These two effects may mean that eating a banana a day helps keep the therapist away by preventing
recurring minor depression. • Sweat it out. If you haven’t exercised in a
while, the thought of slipping into a pair of tight pants and a sports bra might seem depressing in itself. Exercise, however,
has been shown to be more effective than many antidepressants in reducing major depression. Part of it may be because exercise
boosts feel-good chemicals, and another part likely comes from the sense of purpose and accomplishment that regular exercise
brings. Don’t feel like it? Sometimes action has to come before motivation, and if you’re depressed, you may need
to act first in order to prime your motivational engine. • Try yoga. This form of exercise is specifically associated
with decreased symptoms of depression and increased mood, perhaps partly because of the deep breathing (which has relaxation
and brain function benefits) that’s done during the practice. • Use guided imagery. Guided imagery isn’t the
screen of your car’s GPS; it’s actually a way of making you feel better. It’s been shown to improve the
ability to cope with depression, improve mood, and decrease stress. All you need to do is go to a quiet place. Start by relaxing
and breathing deeply, then visualize yourself in different good scenarios: spending time at a favorite place, such as the
beach; or practicing for a big performance at work and then doing well. • Write at bedtime. Approach every day with an attitude
of thankfulness. Impossible expectations lead to sadness. Try to write in a gratitude journal daily; writing three thank-you
notes a day really does make it less likely that you will suffer depression. While you’re at it, put some music on in
the background. Music can improve moderately depressed moods; one study also showed that it improved heart rate and blood
pressure. While some signs of depression are easy to spot, many of us hesitate to call ourselves depressed.
We’ll write it off as being too tired or too stressed or justifiably sad. But if you chronically experience depression,
and it’s getting in the way of your life, it’s worth mentioning to your doc. It’s far better for potential
employers, your family, everyone around you -- and for your own health -- if you don’t think you have to be down just
because the economic indicators are.
Mounting obligations and hectic schedules can make it all too easy to lose track. But whether it's
the little things in life that make you smile, or the joy of working toward a larger goal, focusing on your happiness each
day can help protect your emotional well-being and your physical health. Follow these simple steps to rediscover your passion for life. When you're adding items to your to-do list, don't forget the good stuff. If you look forward to reading
in bed, going out to breakfast, taking long walks, listening to music, or just sitting quietly outside, make time for at least
one of your favorite diversions every day. Consider crossing out pesky items on your list that you keep saying you're going to do but haven't
gotten to in over a year, like alphabetizing your bills or organizing your sock drawer. Or get rid of a time-consuming chore
that isn't enhancing your life one bit. Use the daily life calculator in this article to check your balance of satisfiers and stressors. We all have low-energy days, but if you can resist the urge to skip your daily workout when you’re
feeling low, you'll be rewarded both now and later. Try this trick: Tell yourself that you need to do only 10 minutes of exercise.
Once you're up and moving (and feeling better) you'll most likely want to finish your workout. Even if you can't push past
the 10-minute mark on the occasional bad day, you’ll feel good about doing at least a little something. Sticking
with an exercise plan helps you feel good about yourself, strengthens your immune system, and enhances production of mood-boosting
hormones. Use this video to get moving without even leaving home! Defuse daily hassles by practicing stress-reduction strategies. Try taking deep-breathing breaks throughout the day, inhaling through your nose and then exhaling slowly through your mouth. Repeating
this action three or four times allows more oxygen to get into your bloodstream, creating a feeling of calm. Progressive
muscle relaxation, yoga, and meditation also are effective ways of reducing tension, stress, depression, and anxiety.
And a brisk 10-minute walk will do far more to dissipate your stress and lift your spirits than eating the bad-for-you snacks
you might crave when feeling frantic. Try this six-step stress-busting plan. Volunteer at a local school, club, or community organization. Not only will sharing your unique talents
and expertise benefit others, but research shows that volunteering can make you happier and improve your well-being, too.
Feeling engaged and involved in your local community is good for your emotional health. It's also an opportunity to learn
new skills and meet new people. Win-win. Unwind and share a few laughs with your family or friends at least once or twice each month. The openness
and trust you share with the important people in your life can help give you the perspective you need to cope with everyday
challenges. These regular connections will also have a positive impact on your health, especially when you share a good
laugh. Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and releases endorphins that can ease pain. Also, don't neglect relationships at work. Colleagues and coworkers can provide valuable support and
keep your blood pressure under control during stressful situations. . Feeling satisfied and fulfilled with your life is an essential part of your emotional and physical
well-being. As you grow to appreciate your time, independence, self-assurance, skills, and relationships, you will be amazed
at just how good you feel, both in body and in spirit.
A day in the park with a group of friends;your health will appreciate it if you
do these things, too:
Bananas Smoothies are easy to make, all you need is your blender and the above ingredients. I like to add some
soy protein powder to my smoothies too. Tripp is building muscles and needs that extra protein bump at fourteen going
on fifteen. Enjoy and stay healthy this summer. Eat Healthy
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