Nutrition - Free Fitness Library
Health matters
GRAINS OF GOODNESS
Experts believe that Japanese-style rice helps to protect people against the risk of developing diabetes. Their comments follow the realisation that a fall in the amount of rice eaten by Japanese people is leading to a marked increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the nation. The experts blame the increased prevalence of diabetes, obesity and heart disease on the switch from the more traditional Japanese diet to more Western-type foods as people are now eating less rice and more fat.
STRESS & THE WORKPLACE
The 90's company is a lean, mean, stressful machine. In many countries
around the world, the effects of recession and corporate anorexia seem
to be producing significant numbers of over worked, over stressed employees.
In order to cope with stress at work, people show a clear preference
for indulging in 'products of enjoyment'. 68% drastically increase their
caffeine levels, 27% smoke, 27% eat cakes or biscuits and 5% turn to
alcohol at lunch time (the figure are such that it would indicate that
some people do all of these). In recent country variation studies of
the EEC, the UK scored highest with 55% of the population choosing to
drink alcohol after work as a method of relaxation (compared with Italy's
3% and Spain's 7%). The UK also holds joint first place with Denmark
as leading European couch potatoes with a staggering 86% of stress out
workers choosing this as their method of unwinding.
Source: Arise
FOOT POWER
Reflexology, practised for thousands of years in some parts of the world is now becoming widely acknowledged in the UK, and at last a home alternative has been launched. Foot massage mats are a discovery resulting from extensive research into the East European health and fitness culture where they have been widely and successfully used in hospitals and homes for over 50 years. Use of the circular rubber mat, with it's specially designed domed profile of protruding nodules, stimulates the reflex points in the feet, which relate to corresponding parts of the body. Use of the mat for a few minutes a day will help improve blood circulation, relieve stress and normalise the whole body system. The mat should not replace the diagnostic function of the reflexologist, but offer a unique, effective means of self treatment at home. The Elit Foot Massage Mat is available from Elit UK, retail price £19.99 - for further details contact 01625 582 326.
THANK GOODNESS FOR GARLIC
Elevated cholesterol levels have long been regarded as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, but a lack of data showing improved survival rates in patients has cast a shadow over this type of therapy. These doubts however have now been laid firmly to rest with the recent publication of a study of over 4,000 heart patients. Overall mortality rates were down by 30% and deaths due to heart attacks were 42% lower. This is good news for fans of one of nature's own cholesterol lowering agents, garlic. In a recent analysis of garlic as a cholesterol lowering agent, garlic was shown to reduce levels by 12% over a short time scale.
ANTIOXIDANTS ARE ACE
Lately we've been hearing more and more about the benefits of antioxidants,
aka the A, C, and E vitamin collection of super nutrients. These vitamins
can be found through a staple diet or be taken as a supplement. Research
has shown that the ACE group boosts our immune system, enhances the
skin's natural collagen supplies and may possibly slow down the ageing
process. Studies have found that people with a high intake of ACE vitamins
were in the lowest risk group for heart disease. In Californian trials
taken over a ten year period, those who ate the most vitamin C had a
staggering 45% lower mortality rate from heart disease. Similarly in
China, a similar study showed ACE volunteers running a 13% lower risk
of developing cancer.