Health News

Great News about Olive Oil

Tests have shown that increasing olive oil intake can reduce cancer by an astonishing degree, and the indicator is you urine!

Tiny substances in your urine show how efficiently your body is protecting against everyday cell damage, the damage which causes cancer. In a study using olive oil , men who increased their intake had fewer of the damaged substances in their urine samples. The decrease was comparable to what smokers experience when they stop. Now that's some powerful oil.

Olive oil is full of healthy substances which have numerous positive effects on our bodies. Researchers think that phenolic compounds in the oil have properties which fight cancer. Furthermore, it is believed that there is something anti carcinogenic about monounsaturated fat itself!

This means that olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fat, is great for the heart and also helps deter cancer. That helps explain why, in comparison to Northern Europeans and Americans, Southern Europeans, who eat loads and loads of olive oil, have lower rates of both heart disease and cancer.

But one caution to bear in mind: The men in the study didn't add olive oil to their diets. They used it instead of the fats they used to consume. All in all about five to six teaspoons a day. Use olive oil to replace all the butters, margarines, and shortenings in your diet. Using it on top of your usual diet will only lead to weight problems and other areas of concern!

Another fact about olive oil; it’s great for your skin. So feel good and look good by increasing your olive oil intake now.

You are never too old to start running for fun and as a means of achieving and maintaining physical fitness. Running is also the most effective way of reducing weight and cholesterol and allows you to eat a healthy diet without having to starve yourself. And, we all know running improves the cardio-vascular system and increases libido and appetite.

The benefits go further than just improved health. A regular running schedule, accompanied by a healthy diet, contributes to a much healthier life style, which, in turn, leads to more confidence and self-esteem and reduces lethargy and tiredness. You can run in the street, the park or in the country. You can run around a soccer pitch or the local school track. There are no rules to running. You can start at one mile or two miles, up to you. With time and experience you can start varying your runs to include interval training or Fartlek, or you can start racing. It's totally in your hands how much and how far you want to take your running. Running alone provides an opportunity to de-stress, think over problems or visualize tomorrow's presentation. Joining a running club allows you to meet new friends and be involved in social events or charity organizations.

Where do you start?

Regardless of how old you are, go and visit your GP for a check up. He or she may recommend a cardiovascular stress test if you smoke, are overweight or have had heart or breathing problems in the past. Plan your first run in a place you know well. This will ensure you are always orientated
and you'll be able to pace yourself better. Running in a strange location can confuse you as you may not realize how far you've run or how far away your car is parked. If possible, drive around the route first and check how far it is on the car's trip meter.

As a distance, 3 to 5 kilometers or 2 to 3 miles is a good starting point. If you start to labor, stop running and walk the rest of the distance. Or you can run for time instead of distance, it doesn't really matter. For example, you could start at 20 or 30 minutes. Aim at running three times a week and as you get stronger, you can increase your distance or time gradually.

Be sure to warm up for five minutes before your run. A warm up should consist of warming the muscles you're going to use through dynamic motion exercises like walking on your toes, hurtle steps and long strides. Ask your doctor or a fitness instructor for a chart or demonstration. Avoid stretching though! Stretching cold muscles is dangerous. Although you see hundreds of people doing it everyday down the park, they're more likely to cause an injury than prevent one. Stretching comes after the run. Stretch all the main leg muscles and your hips and waist. Again, see your doctor for advice.

Gear

Before you start you've got to buy the right gear. Running shoes will be your first priority. Do some research and get the right pair for you. Running vests and shorts come in numerous different styles and prices. For summer running, the lighter the better, but be sure to use a sports sun-cream before setting off. For colder climates, Polypropylene (Coolmax or Thermax) gear is excellent. Be sure to wear gloves and a hat if it's really cold. Be sensible though, if it's freezing, why not use a running machine instead?

Food and drink

The type of diet that is good for runners is no different than the one doctors recommend for everyone: high in carbohydrate, low in fat with a reasonable amount of protein. Pre-hydrate by drinking a litre of water one to two hours before you run and re-hydrate thoroughly afterwards. In hot and humid conditions, electrolyte drinks are useful. There is no need to drink sports drinks before you run, as this can cause a glucose crash while you're running. Again, seek your doctor's advice concerning nutrition before you start.

By Colin Harlow

Physical Education Instructor

The average person puts on between five and ten pounds between November and January and it's pretty easy to put on more if you let yourself gorge on all the delights of the season. But who wants to be miserable and diet through Christmas? Follow these 5 tips so you can enjoy Christmas without piling on the pounds.

1. Have The Right Attitude.

If you start your Christmas holidays with the idea that you can just eat everything possible and worry about it in January, then you will bitterly regret your decision when Christmas is over. Decide to enjoy the festive season without going crazy over all the Christmas goodies on offer. Choose the things you particularly like and say a firm no to yourself over anything you're really not bothered about eating.

2. Eat How Much You Need.

This one's obvious, but very important! At every meal aim for a comfortable feeling of satisfaction rather than getting to the stage where you need to loosen your belt. Decide to enjoy your meal AND feel great afterwards. This tip will save you hundreds of calories on every meal. If you want to try all the courses, have small portions of everything you really want.

3. Keep Up The exercise!

Don't give up your usual exercise routine over the holidays because it will be hard to get back into it later. If you really can't get to the gym, do a few exercises at home or go out for a walk. This simple action will not just burn off some calories, it will also remind you about your desire to stay slim and healthy. Try to keep as active as possible as you go about your day - don't sit about watching the TV specials, nibbling nuts and chocolate.

4. Put Away 'Tempting Treats'.

If you have lots of treats at home "for guests", get them out when people come and then put them 'out of harms way' when they go home. Out of sight, out of mind will help a little but if those treats do start calling out to you from the cupboard, put a few on a plate and put the rest away so that you are not constantly nibbling from the packet.

5. Don't Panic!

Try and keep calm over Christmas. As stress levels rise, so does our tendency to eat for comfort. Just remember that you don't have to make Christmas perfect for everyone else while running yourself into the ground. Do the best you can with the time available and then just decide to enjoy it however much you've done. If others have expectations of how Christmas should be then get them involved in making it so! Have some (non-food) treats up your sleeve to enjoy when it all gets a bit too much. It doesn't cost a lot to tuck away a sachet of perfumed bubble bath, a glossy magazine or a novel you've been dying to read. If all else fails call an old friend for a chat rather than eating the fridge empty!