Fat American Pose A Threat to National Security

Increasing rates of obesity among young Americans could undermine the future of the US military, with potential recruits increasingly too fat to serve. "Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military," generals John Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, both former chairs of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a commentary.

Obesity disqualified more potential recruits for military service than any other medical factor, so the two generals urged Congress to adopt legislation that would ensure better nutrition in schools, offering children more vegetables, fruits and whole grains while cutting back on foods with high sugar, sodium and fat content.

"We consider this problem so serious from a national security perspective that we have joined more than 130 other retired generals, admirals and senior military in a non-profit group called "Mission: Readiness."

The US military faces a problem with troops already serving who are overweight, with some soldiers losing out on promotions because of their failure to meet fitness standards. The two retired generals endorsed a plan by President Barack Obama's administration to increase funding by one billion dollars a year over ten years for child nutrition programs. Investing in nutrition made sense as the country was already spending 75 billion dollars a year on medical costs associated with obesity, they said. .

"We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be.

Recipes for Diabetes

In 2007, 23.6 million children and adults were diagnosed with diabetes. That's 7.8% of the U.S. population. People with diabetes are at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and many other health complications. We did some research and found some of the tastiest foods that are heart healthy and great for the whole family.


Meat and Cheese Subs
1 14 1/2-ounce (435 g) loaf of Italian or Parisian style crusty bread, sliced in half lengthwise with soft inside discarded leaving 3/4-inch (1.9 cm) shell intact
6 ounces (180 g) roasted turkey breast, shaved thin
6 ounces (180 g) low salt, low fat ham, shaved thin
4 ounces (120 g) skim milk Swiss cheese, sliced thin
1 large firm ripe tomato, 1/2 pound (240 g), thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, 4 ounces (120 g) peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups (110 g) shredded iceberg lettuce

Line the bottom half of the bread with turkey, ham, and cheese. Top with tomato and cucumber slices. Spread the lettuce over the top.
Top with the second bread half and tightly wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, slice off and discard the bread ends. Cut the remaining sub into 6 portions.

Quick Lemon Bread
1 cup Granulated SugarLike

1/2 cup ButterLike Baking Butter, softened

1/2 cup large egg whites, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup skim milk

1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Lemon Glaze:

1/3 cup Granulated SugarLike

4 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, mix SugarLike, ButterLike, and egg whites until smooth. Add remaining muffin ingredients and mix until flour is incorporated into batter. Pour batter into a vegetable sprayed and floured 5- X 9-inch loaf pan.
Bake in a 350°F oven 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
As soon as bread is done, prepare glaze. Leaving loaf in pan, use a long slender skewer to poke numerous holes all the way to bottom of loaf.
In a small pan, combine SugarLike and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until SugarLike is dissolved. Remove from heat. Slowly drizzle over top of loaf so that glaze soaks into bread. Let bread cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.



More ideas next week? We think so! Look for Part Two

Obese Now Outweigh Overweight

The scale of obese versus overweight people in the United States has tipped toward obesity. A recent report produced by the national Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 4,356 respondents has determined that 34.3% of US adults aged 20 and over are obese, while slightly fewer (32.7%) are overweight. The 2005-2006 study also found that 5.9% of the population is considered "extremely obese."

"Although the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980, the prevalence of overweight has remained the same over the same time period," states the report.

That's Not Good for Anyone!!!

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Weekends Weaken Weight Loss

According to a study published in Obesity (2005; published online ahead of print July 1), the weekend tends to be a time for excessive food consumption and reduced physical activity. Subjects included 48 adults aged 50-60 who were asked to keep a food and exercise journal for 1 year.

During the study, authors determined that 36% of caloric intake took place on Saturdays and that participants seemed unaware of the weekend calorie hike. Authors also found that participants' physical activity was significantly reduced on Sundays compared with weekdays.

"It was surprising how consistent the findings were," stated lead author Susan B. Racette, PhD. "We were also surprised by the dramatic way in which weekends continued to slow weight loss throughout the course of the study."


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Exercise for Older Adults

A study published in the January issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (2009; 169[2], 122-31), shows that a combination of resistance exercise and cardiovascular exercise can improve function capacity and reduce insulin resistance in older adults.

The study started with 136 obese men and women placed into four groups: resistance exercise, cardiovascular exercise, resistance and cardiovascular exercise combined, or a nonexercise control. They performed exercises according to their groups at different times per week.

Overall, the study showed that group with combined exercises exceeded results in all aspects above the other groups with 90 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise combined with 60 minutes of resistance training 3 times per week. If this combination is used regularly, disease and disability health should improve in a pragmatic manner.


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5 EASY STRATEGIES TO PREVENT SHOULDER, LOW BACK, AND NECK PAIN AT THE WORKPLACE

It’s really sad to see an individual struggling with their health. A person’s health not only affects their quality of life, but the quality of life of the ones that they love,” he says.
Luis continues by adding,” A person’s health does not only include their weight or how strong they are, it includes balance, stability, and flexibility.”
Luis would know, because he has been working with clients for 7 years and has helped over a hundred individuals reach their full potential with their health and fitness levels.
Luis got started when he was 17, and faced the same health and fitness problems that people are facing today.
“I was overweight, depressed, and had lower back pain, says Luis”
“One event inspired me to take charge of my life and become the person that I am today. I witnessed my friend compete in and win a bodybuilding competition. I wanted to have the same pride and joy that I saw in her that day, so I decided to compete the following year. In 6 months I competed in the 2003 NPC bodybuilding show and got a renewed sense of purpose in my life that day. I not only changed my health physically, but mentally and spiritually.”
“Simply put, we educate, motivate, and inspire people to take charge of their health and fitness so they can feel good, look great, and live life to the fullest,” Luis continues.
Sue Garcia (names have been changed) is a 56 year old single mother that had a horrible health history. She was on blood pressure medication and suffered from low back pain.
Her pain was so bad that she couldn’t stand in front of the sink to wash the dishes.
Sue worked in an office setting and explained to me her frustrations that she was having at work with her back pain.
I worked with Sue and shared with her 5 Easy Strategies to prevent shoulder, low back, and neck pain at the workplace.
Luis first explained to Sue that one of the primary reasons why individuals gain weight and develop frequent cases of joint pain are because people do not take the time to care for themselves.
If people took the time to prioritize their own life over all the other aspects that they face, such as work, family, or friends, they would have less health issues, less joint pain, and an increased sense of personal well-being and self worth.
The main problem with society today is that they have this perception that the world would be a healthier place if we gave a lot more to each other.
Luis says this is not true. “We give a lot of ourselves each day to the people that surround us. We give up our time, which is our most precious asset, our money, and our health to the people we love and surround our environment. We need to be greedy with our time and prioritize ourselves first and others second.”
Luis explains that when we prioritize ourselves first, we become healthier and happier people. The reason for this is because we become more productive, we have a better sense of well being, and we satisfy our own personal needs. This not only in turn makes us happy, but we make the people around us happy.
This is the first and most important strategy in having decreased joint pain in the workplace is to prioritize yourself first and others second.
The second strategy is to stay flexible. In the workplace, you tend to remain in one position the entire time. When you sit in the same position for a length of time you do a number of things to your bodies. The first is you build tight restricted muscles that will inhibit your natural motion. When your muscles begin to lose range of motion, then you build compensations that will ultimately lead to joint pain.
Luis has included with this report a great stretching routine that he gives to all his clients in order for them to stay limber in the workplace. He instructs his clients to perform this routine at least 2-3 times a day to stay loose and limber.
The third strategy is to drink plenty of water. Luis explains that our bodies are mainly comprised of water and even a small decrease in 1% hydration levels will begin to compromise your bodies energy levels and the fluidity of your muscles. To keep your muscles loose and free of joint pain, make sure to drink at lease 5-8 ounces of water a day.
The fourth strategy to prevent joint pain is to have strong abdominal muscles. When you sit at the desk, you tend to compromise your lower back and upper shoulder muscles. By having a strong abdominal muscles, you will have the strength to keep an upright posture and prevent lower back pain. Attached to the article is a great exercise Luis recommends doing to help build a strong core. He recommends performing this exercise at least twice a day and holding the position for at least 20-30 seconds.
The fifth strategy is to have good posture at your desk. Without good posture, your body will begin to build over stress and over use certain muscles. The main muscles that become overused are the upper shoulders (trapezius) and lower back (erector spinae). Luis gives a great illustration on how to sit at your desk to prevent any type of excessive joint pain.
These five strategies helped Sue overcome her joint pain and most importantly it gave her a better quality of life. A life with no shoulder, neck, or back pain.

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