As Waistlines Widen, Brains Shrink

TUESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- For every excess pound piled on the body, the brain gets a little bit smaller.

That's the message from new research that found that elderly individuals who were obese or overweight had significantly less brain tissue than individuals of normal weight.

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Eat Right!

by Denise Austin

Best Bets for Healthy Snacking
Snacking is not a dirty word for dieters if you're careful about what you reach for! I can think of loads of nutritious, low-calorie foods that can help you feel full and boost your energy without ruining your day. Stick to a sensible serving size and you're good to go! Here are some ideas to get you snacking healthy!

• Cut up veggies with hummus
• Sliced fruit with nonfat Greek yogurt
• A few almonds or walnuts
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Air-popped popcorn
• Hard-boiled eggs
• String cheese
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• Homemade smoothies or fruit shakes

Try a few of these snacks this week, and a few more next week. Constantly switch things up so that you don't get bored — and you'll be all set to handle your next snack attack!

The Power of Sunlight By Stormie Omartian

Over the last few decades we have increasingly left natural light and fresh air out of our lives. Man now constructs buildings with no windows at all. Already many of our schools have classrooms with no windows and our children are studying in artificial light and artificial ventilation.

SUNLIGHT IS MEDICINE
Sunlight is a powerful healer, tonic, germ killer, remedial agent, and relaxer, especially when it is used in conjunction with the other seven steps. When you spend time in the fresh air and sunlight, your body drinks in their life-giving elements. Scientists are now discovering a great connection between light and health. They have found that natural light has a very significant effect on our immune system. Light is already being used for treating various diseases of the blood and skin, and for curing certain kinds of depression and nervous disorders.

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The Miraculous Disease-Fighting Fruit: Apples

The emerging data on apples is impressive and should have a profound impact on making healthy eating choices. Apples are packed with powerful phytonutrients that can support the body’s healing and disease-fighting ability.What are the benefits of the ordinary apple? According to research, apples may have beneficial effects for diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and asthma.

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What's Your Eating Type?

by Denise Austin
Part of overcoming your struggle with weight is understanding how it began. Need some help getting started? See if you can recognize your overeating type. Keep in mind that you may be a combination of these:

• The Indulger: For indulgers, eating is used to nurture and reward. While you should be good to yourself, that doesn't have to come with calories attached. Think of some nonfood rewards instead. How about a bubble bath, pedicure, or some new flowers from your garden, for example?
• The Critic: Critics are always telling themselves that they're never going to be good enough — so why bother? "You can't, you won't, you aren't…" And on and on it goes. Remember, being fit isn't about being perfect. It's about doing your best and getting back on track when you derail.
• The Rebel: Rebels eat "bad" foods to feel good. But remember, unhealthy eating doesn't "get back" at anyone. In fact, the only one you're hurting is yourself. So dye your hair, listen to alternative music, or wear red when everyone else is wearing gray, but skip the chocolate cake!
• The Victim: The voice inside the victim's head says, "You just can't stop yourself. You're helpless." You eat and eat, then tell yourself it wasn't your fault. There's always an excuse. But the reality is, the only one who can control your eating is you. So stop feeling powerless and start taking charge!

Training materials by Denise Austin

Amazing Omega-3 Eggs

Amazing Omega-3 Eggs
source The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin

High omega-3 eggs are nature's nearly perfect food. Eggs contain all known nutrients except for vitamin C! They are good sources of fat-soluble vitamins A and D as well as certain carotenoids that guard against free-radical damage to the body. They also contain lutein, which has been shown to prevent age-related macular degeneration. When possible, buy eggs directly from farms where the chickens are allowed to roam free and eat their natural diet, or purchase eggs marked DHA or high omega-3 eggs (they contain a healthy balance of omega-3 to omega-6). Despite the unfounded cholesterol scare during the past 15 years, eggs can be a healthy addition to anyone's diet; they can actually help reduce the risk of both heart disease and cancer.

Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits Into Your Life Without Really Trying

Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits Into Your Life Without Really Trying
By Reader's Digest

Discover The Everyday Health Plan - the simplest program available to enhance your health by promoting weight loss while increasing your energy level and strengthening you immune system. This east-to-use plan contains more than 1,200 tiny modifications to make you healthier. The ideas are fresh, unusual, simple, fast, and thoroughly researched and doctor-approved.

This book has changed my life!
I thoroughly recommend buying this book. Its simple, easy to read guide is well organized and thought out. I've been easily incorporating the changes it recommends in my life without overwhelming me. This is a must read for anyone who wishes to de-stress their lives and add health with ease. Judea Eden

Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas

Look slimmer, feel trimmer! From Reader's Digest Stealth Health Simple Slimming

Spring is right around the corner and retailers have already begun stocking their floors with warm-weather goods -- including swimsuits. Besides looking great on the beach, commonsense tells us that one of the best things you can do for your overall health is to drop a few pounds. Or maybe more than a few pounds.
Being overweight significantly increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer ... the list seems almost endless. Plus, if you do get sick or need surgery, being overweight can make any treatments riskier.

1. Once a week, indulge in a high-calorie-tasting, but low-calorie, treat.
2. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown.
3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink.
4. Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips -- even water.
5. Buy a pedometer, clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day.

Books about health and diet from Reader's Digest

Read more at RD.com

Achieve success with quotes by Bonnie Blair

Five-time Olympic gold medalist speed skater Bonnie Blair said,
I never could have achieved the success that I have without setting physical activity and health goals.

I'm definitely going to miss hearing the sound of that gun.

My parents put skates on me at age 2, the way it should be if you're serious, and I've always liked it.

No matter what the competition is, I try to find a goal that day and better that goal.

The sport I love has taken me around the world and shown me many things.

Winning doesn't always mean being first. Winning means you're doing better than you've ever done before.