What does the body need in order to do its work? (Food.) We also say that the body needs proper nutrition. What does the food provide? (Energy.) What foodsprovide energy? (Fruits, vegetables and grains because they give us sugar andstarch for energy.) We say that proper nutrition is the first principle of goodhealth. What does that mean? (Pause for student comments.)
Now let’s talk about what we did in the Mathematics Center. We worked withordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers tell us the position of an object. Look at theword “order”. Can you find part of that word in “ordinal”? Yes, “ord” is in
“order” and in “ordinal". That’s what ordinal numbers tell you — the order or theposition of objects. The ordinal numbers relate to the cardinal numbers. The cardinalnumbers are the numbers we are familiar with — they tell us how manythings are in a set or a group.
Now, why do you think that we say that nutrition is the first principle of goodhealth? Yes, proper nutrition is the first principle of good health because withoutnutrition the body cannot continue to live for a long time in good health. Whathappens when we are sick or do not have energy? Are we happy? Can we do thethings we want to do? No, nutrition is important, and so we say that it is the firstprinciple of good health.
When we studied about foods that give us energy, what experiments did youcomplete? What did we learn in our experiment using iodine? Yes, many foodsthat we eat contain starch, which is one food that gives us energy.
Nutritionists, people who study the kind and amount of food that people needto be in good health, measure the amount of food energy living organisms need byusing the unit of heat called a calorie. We use this unit to tell us how much foodwe need each day. If we know how much food we need each day, we will be ableto balance our meals and to avoid the weight we would gain if we ate too muchfat and too much starch.
But starch in our diet is not enough. What else do we need? What do fish,chicken, turkey and beef provide? (Those foods give us proteins that we need tobuild muscles and renew all the cells.)
As we saw from the activities on proper nutrition, all foods give us energy andhelp us build our bodies, but all foods give us more of one thing and less ofanother than the body needs. Very few foods give us everything the body needsall at the same time. That is why we need to eat balanced meals. The studentsconsider: Is fat necessary for the body? Is it an important food? How much fatshould we have in our daily diet?
You worked on an activity that required you to balance your body in order towalk from one end of the beam to the other. What did you have to do to stay inbalance? Yes, you couldn’t lean over too much on either side — you had to stayin the middle. What do you have to do in riding a bicycle? You can ride a bicycleonly if you balance on it. The same happens with your body and balanced meals.
You get energy and “building blocks” when you eat “balanced meals.” What doyou suppose “balanced” meals are? (Pause for student responses.) Yes, balancedmeals are meals that include foods from each of the five food groups. We don’twant to have too much of one thing and very little of another. (Display pictures offood from the Food Guide Pyramid.)
The Food Guide Pyramid is a guide, a suggestion, of the types and amountsof food that a person needs to be healthy. The Guide tells us that the group we 14 Unit 1 Good Healthshould select the most from is the Bread group, which includes oatmeal, Creamof Wheat, rice, spaghetti, for six to 11 servings every day. The next groups are the Vegetable group, which should include three to five servings every day, and the
Fruit group, which should include two to four servings each day. The Milk groupincludes cheese and yogurt, and should include two to three servings every day.
We should have the same number of servings per day from the Meat group,which includes beef, chicken, pinto beans, eggs and nuts. At the top of the pyramidand having the smallest triangle, are the fats, oils and sweets. This is notconsidered a food group because all foods contain fat and sugar. To be healthy,however, we should use fats, oils, and sugar barely, or with care. Fats and sugarare important, but they do not give energy and building blocks as do other foodsin a balanced diet.
We also said that one of the body needs is water. Do all living things need waterto live? We are going to look at the amount of water that living organisms need.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Attention, body needs nutrition
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Exercise and Ease into Menopause
Someone always been thin and never struggled with weight problems...so what changed? The truth is, women's bodies do change as they get older and go through menopause, but weight gain isn't inevitable; we have more control over our bodies and how they age than we think.
What Happens During Menopause
Beginning around the mid-thirties, the ovaries decline in hormone production. This accelerates in the 40's, which makes hormones fluctuate and by the 50's, periods usually end completely. What many women don't like about this process are the symptoms and problems that come with these shifting hormones such as:
- Hot flashes
- Depression, stress and anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Irritability
- Osteoporosis
- Cardiovascular disease
Another experience many women have is weight gain, especially around the belly and waistline. Part of this has to do with those declining hormones, though researchers aren't sure how or why. Experts at Oregon Health & Science University have found intriguiging evidence that, for some, menopause may increase appetite. By studying hormones in monkeys (which are virtually identical to humans), researchers concluded that, with decreased hormones, many monkeys increased their food intake by 67%.
Menopause isn't the only cause of middle-age spread. Other factors include:
- Reduced activity. Women often exercise less when they enter menopause, which can lead to weight gain.
- Decreased metabolism. One reason metabolism declines with age is the loss of muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so when you lose that muscle (about 1/2-lb a year if you don't preserve it with weight training/exercise), you don't burn as many calories.
- Increase in calories. As metabolism drops, many people don't adjust their calories accordingly, which often leads to weight gain.
- Genetics. Your genetic makeup and where you're predisposed to gain and store fat also plays a role in weight gain, making it more difficult to maintain your figure.
Easing into Menopause
There are any number of ways to manage menopause symptoms, from alternative therapies (such as acupuncture) to eating a healthy diet. However, one simple thing you can do right now is exercise. As the American Council on Exercise states: "The good news is that a regular program of physical activity can help manage many of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause as well as the related health concerns, such as heart disease and osteoporosis."
Other benefits of exercise include:
- Reduced stress. Menopause can often lead to depression, anxiety and stress. Exercise is proven to help reduce stress and improve your mood.
- Weight loss. Exercise can help create a calorie deficit, which is what you want when it comes to losing body fat.
- Reduction of hot flashes. Some research has found that exercise increases estrogen levels, which can decrease the severity of hot flashes.
- Increased bone mass. Strength training and impact activities (like walking or running) can help strength the bones and prevent osteoporosis.
- Reduced risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
The North American Menopause Society goes even further, stating that "Exercise may cause the same magnitude of change as that induced by estrogen therapy." (The Effects of Physical Activity on Menopausal Symptoms and Metabolic Changes around Menopause) If I've convinced you how much exercise can help, it's time to get moving.
Getting Started
Even if you've never formally exercised, it's never too late to start...nor is it too late to reap the benefits. The key is to start slowly and do things you enjoy such as:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Vigorous yard work
- Swimming
- Cardio machines
- Group fitness classes
Strength training is equally important, especially if you want to increase your metabolism and lose body fat. You don't have to train like a bodybuilder to get the benefits, but you do need to use resistance (such as dumbbells, machines or resistance bands) and you do need to challenge your muscles and body. You might want to work with a personal trainer to get started or visit Workouts for Beginners to find cardio, strength training and flexibility workouts specifically for those just starting out.
Whatever you do, make the commitment now to become more active. Move more throughout the day...get a pedometer and start tracking your steps...get your family involved and spend some quality time with them through movement. Taking control of your health is one way to make menopause a more pleasant experience.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Benefits of Exercise in a Weight Control Program
The benefits of exercise are many, from producing physically fit bodies to providing an out letfor fun and socialization. When added to a weight control program these benefits take on increased significance.
We already have noted that proper exercise can help control weight by burning excess body fat.
It also has two other body-trimming advantages 1) exercise builds muscle tissue and muscle use scalories up at a faster rate than body fat; and 2) exercise helps reduce inches and a firm, lean body looks slimmer even if your weight remains the same.
Remember, fat does not "turn into" muscle, as is often believed. Fat and muscle are two entirely different substances and one cannot become the other. However, muscle does use calories at a faster rate than fat which directly affects your body's metabolic rate or energy requirement.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy required to sustain the body's functions at rest and it depends on your age, sex, body size, genes and body composition. People with highlevels of muscle tend to have higher BMRs and use more calories in the resting stage.
Some studies have even shown that your metabolic rate stays elevated for some time after vigorous exercise, causing you to use even more calories throughout your day.
Additional benefits may be seen in how exercise affects appetite. A lean person in good shapemay eat more following increased activity, but the regular exercise will burn up the extra calories consumed. On the other hand, vigorous exercise has been reported to suppress appetite. And,physical activity can be used as a positive substitute for between meal snacking.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Exercise and Modern Living
One thing is certain. Most people do not get enough exercise in their ordinary routines. All of the advances of modern technology - from electric can openers to power steering - have madelife easier, more comfortable and much less physically demanding. Yet our bodies need activity,especially if they are carrying around too much fat. Satisfying this need requires a definite plan,and a commitment. There are two main ways to increase the number of calories you expend:
1. Start a regular exercise program if you do not have one already.
2. Increase the amount of physical activity in your daily routine.
The best way to control your weight is a combination of the above. The sum total of calories used over time will help regulate your weight as well as keep you physically fit.
Active Lifestyles
Before looking at what kind of regular exercise program is best, let's look at how you can increase the amount of physical activity in your daily routine to supplement your exercise program.
• Recreational pursuits such as gardening on weekends, bowling in the office league, family outings, an evening of social dancing, and many other activities provide added exercise. They are fun and can be considered an extra bonus in your weight control campaign.
• Add more "action" to your day. Walk to the neighborhood grocery store instead of using the car. Park several blocks from the office and walk the rest of the way. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator; start with one flight of steps and gradually increase.
• Change your attitude toward movement. Instead of considering an extra little walk or trip to the files an annoyance, look upon it as an added fitness boost. Look for opportunities to use your body. Bend, stretch, reach, move, lift and carry. Time-saving devices and gadgets eliminate drudgery and are a bonus to mankind, but when they substitute too often for physical activity they can demand a high cost in health, vigor and fitness.
These little bits of action are cumulative in their effects. Alone, each does not burn a huge amount of calories. But when added together they can result in a sizable amount of energy used over the course of the day. And they will help improve your muscle tone and flexibility at thesame time.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
9 tips to keep you going exercise
Exercise is important, but it also hard to persist. Here are 9 tips to Keep You Going
l. Adopt a specific plan and write it down.
2. Keep setting realistic goals as you go along, and remind yourself of them often.
3. Keep a log to record your progress and make sure to keep it up-to-date.
4. Include weight and/or percent body fat measures in your log. Extra pounds can easily
creep back.
5. Upgrade your fitness program as you progress.
6. Enlist the support and company of your family and friends.
7. Update others on your successes.
8. Avoid injuries by pacing yourself and including a warmup and cool down period as
part of every workout.
9. Reward yourself periodically for a job well done!