Smarter kids

• Recent research indicates having a healthy heart and lungs may be one of the most important factors for middle school students to make good grades in math and reading. To improve academic performance, the authors urge schools to re-examine policies that limit students’ involvement in physical education classes
• Previous studies have shown that children who exercised regularly nearly doubled their reading scores. Thirty minutes on a treadmill allowed students to solve problems up to 10 percent more effectively
• Aerobic and resistance training have been found to be equally important for maintaining brain and cognitive health. Aerobic fitness can improve your ability to coordinate multiple tasks, and your ability to stay on task for extended periods, while resistance training appears to improve your ability to focus amid distractions. Overall, exercise tends to improve the ability of different parts of your brain to work together
• Intermittent bouts of exercise, i.e. high-intensity interval training, is an ideal form of exercise for children, as well as adults.
• So workout your brain along your body. How can you lose: you will feel better, look better and think better!!!

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Good fats, bad fats

Studies have actually shown that the saturated fats found in coconut oil reduce bad cholesterol levels and stomach fat alike.

In a 12-week study 40 fair ladies between the ages of 20 and 40 were randomly split into two groups. Each group was given approximately two tablespoons of either soybean oil or coconut oil and instructed to follow a reduced calorie eating plan and to walk 50 minutes a day.

At the end of the study the "coconut oil group" increased their good cholesterol, reduced their bad cholesterol and significantly reduced their waist circumference (stomach fat).

The soybean oil group basically had the exact OPPOSITE results on their cholesterol levels and they didn't lose any stomach fat.

Verily, the truth has now been bestowed upon thine ears!  

I pray you, don't be fooled by clever advertising. Organic sources of fat like coconut oil and butter (from grass fed cows) are full of nutrition and are MUCH better for you than processed vegetable oils that cause inflammation in your body.

Managing hypertension

• Elevated blood pressure (hypertension), which is epidemic in Western society, can result in heart disease and stroke without warning; however, you can control it with basic diet and lifestyle modifications
• The real cause of hypertension is chronically elevated insulin levels, and excessive dietary sugar (especially fructose) is largely to blame High dietary fructose is a metabolic poison that raises your blood pressure by raising your uric acid levels, depleting your magnesium, increasing water retention, and stressing your liver

What's your excuse?

What's your excuse to not get in shape? Too busy? Kids won't let me be? Not enough hours in the day? Too tired?
If it is important enough, you WILL make time. You have to plan workouts just like you would plan a doctor's appointment or a birthday party. 
PUT IT ON YOUR SCHEDULE AND GET IT DONE!!!

Are you happy?

Coffee... not the bad guy it is portrayed to be

• Many studies have recently been published suggesting coffee is not the health-damaging beverage it’s been portrayed to be; research now suggests coffee can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, and cancers of the liver, kidney and prostate
• Coffee lowers your blood glucose level and may even increase the metabolic activity and/or numbers of Bifidobacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, which are beneficial
• Fresh coffee from organic, whole beans that are pesticide-free can help keep your brain and muscle tissue young. Adding commercial milk or creamer, and worse yet sugar, will tend to diminish the value you receive from coffee
• You should consume coffee in moderation prior to exercising, without sugar, cream or flavorings in order to maximize health benefits; dark roast coffee beans are richer in beneficial compounds and lower in caffeine than lighter roasts
• If you are caffeine sensitive or have an adverse reaction to coffee, you might not have the same reaction to a different brand of coffee, a different type of bean, or a different brewing method

The power and benefits of garlic

                                                                              Garlic! 

 
Mother earth's flavor enhancer stimulates adrenaline and uncoupling proteins (UCP). Adrenaline triggers fat breakdown and UCP, located in metabolically active "brown fat" increase calorie burning. Garlic also controls cortisol levels which can supports muscle retention while dieting. For best results use fresh raw garlic in your salads or on your other meals, but if you can't handle raw garlic then use fresh bulbs in you cooking or give supplements a try. The sulfides in garlic increase uncoupling protein content in brown adipose tissue, and noradenaline and adrenaline secretion in rats.