There’s a trick to getting the full benefits from your calcium-fortified beverages.
A large percentage of the calcium added to orange juice, soy drinks, and rice milk may settle at the bottom of the carton, a recent study concluded. This could mean less of the bone-building mineral ends up in your glass until the end of the carton. Keep the calcium coming steadily by shaking calcium-fortified beverages well before each serving.
Consuming 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day can make your real age younger.
The amount of calcium that settles to the bottom of calcium-rich beverages may depend upon the type of beverage. In a recent study, calcium in orange juice fared best among the calcium-fortified beverages tested; between roughly 8 percent and 50 percent of the calcium tended to separate out of the beverage. Only about 11 percent of the calcium in milk is separable. If you get your calcium from fortified beverages, ensure you get your fill of calcium in each glass by shaking the carton to uniformly distribute the mineral. Adequate intake of both calcium (1,200 milligrams per day for women, 1,000 milligrams per day for men) and vitamin D (400 IU per day) is important for building and maintaining healthy bones.
Not all calcium-fortified beverages are equal. Heaney, R. P., Rafferty, K., Bierman, J., Nutrition Today 2005 Jan-Feb;40(1):39-44.
Keeping an eye on the scale is one way to help keep your kidneys healthy.
Packing on a substantial number of pounds since the age of 21 is associated with a marked increase in the risk of kidney stones, researchers recently reported. This connection may be due to the fact that, compared to slim people, larger people process more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid, which are common components of kidney stones.
Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger
Slim down with a sensible plan of healthy eating and exercise. The best way to avoid excess pounds is to incorporate nutritious, low-calorie foods and regular physical activity into your daily routine. To avoid overeating, exercise portion control by measuring food servings with cup measures or scales, eat plenty of high-fiber foods that are more filling, drink plenty of water before meals to suppress your appetite, and use smaller plates so that the urge to eat the plate clean is less likely to get you into trouble. Obesity not only increases a person’s risk of kidney stones, but it also increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder problems, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and certain types of cancer.
Obesity, weight gain, and the risk of kidney stones. Taylor, E. N., Stampfer, M. J., Curhan, G. C., Journal of the American Medical Association 2005 Jan 26;293(4):455-462.
Keep your blood pressure from climbing with a healthy helping of folate.
Women who consumed ample amounts of folate every day had the lowest risk of hypertension in a recent study. Everyone should get about 700 micrograms daily to boost blood vessel health. Seek out folate-rich treats, such as asparagus spears, artichokes, and spinach, in your produce aisle. Fortified pasta, breads, and cereals also are a good source.
Keeping your blood pressure at 115/76 mm Hg can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.
Numerous studies point to the health benefits of folate for both men and women. Folate is a member of the B vitamin family and plays a vital role in the production of red blood cells and genetic material. Folate also may help lower blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that may have a potential link to cardiovascular disease. Adequate folate intake is crucial for pregnant women to help prevent neural tube defects. Studies reveal that the average person in the U.S. gets approximately 300 micrograms of folate daily in his or her diet, which isn’t enough. If you’re like most people and you don’t get enough folate through your diet alone, take a daily multivitamin that contains 400 micrograms. Just be sure not to exceed 1,000 micrograms of folate per day because excessive amounts could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Folate intake and the risk of incident hypertension among women. Forman, J. P., Rimm, E. B., Stampfer, M. J., Curhan, G. C., Journal of the American Medical Association 2005 Jan 19;293(3):320-329.
Less may be more when it comes to building strength.
If you’re not feeling up to heaving heavy weights, take heart. Recent research suggests that doing fewer reps with less weight can help build muscle just as well as more reps with heavier weights. Aim for several strength-training sessions per week that combine to total at least 30 minutes.
Lifting weights for 10 minutes just 3 times per week can make your real age as much as 1.7 years younger.
Get the most out of your workouts by keeping them well rounded. This entails incorporating three types of exercise into your weekly routine. Aerobic training, such as brisk walking, running, cycling, or swimming, will help improve the function of your heart and lungs. Activities that boost flexibility, such as tai chi, yoga, or stretching, will help protect joints and muscles. Strength-training exercises, such as lifting weights or working out with elastic bands, will help increase muscle size and power and help keep bones strong. If you have a medical condition, or if you are exercising for the first time, consult your healthcare provider. He or she can help tailor a safe program that is suited to your skills and fitness level.
Meta-analyses do not support performance of multiple sets or high volume resistance training. Winett, R. A., Journal of Exercise Physiology 2004 Oct 7(5):10-20.
You may want to pass on the pastrami sandwich in favor of a peanut butter sandwich instead.
Frequently eating red and processed meats, such as steak, cold cuts, and pastrami, may increase a person’s risk of colon cancer, a new study reports. Opt for healthier protein choices, such as tofu, legumes, fish, nuts, seeds, and peanut butter, and limit red meat servings to one or less per week.
Approximately 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in both men and women and is responsible for roughly 57,000 deaths each year. In a recent study, people whose diets contained the greatest amount of red and processed meats had the highest risk of colorectal cancer. In addition to limiting red meat in your diet, another way to protect the health of your colon is to get adequate amounts of fiber. Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day from whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. Other risk factors for colorectal cancer include having a family history of colon cancer; having a personal history of colon polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or diabetes; being over the age of 50, inactive, or overweight; and using tobacco products or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Make sure to stay on top of colon cancer screening as directed by your healthcare provider, too.
Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer. Chao, A., Thun, M. J., Connell, C. J., McCullough, M. L., Jacobs, E. J., Flanders, W. D., Rodriguez, C., Sinha, R., Calle, E. E., Journal of the American Medical Association 2005 Jan 12;293(2):172-182.