New Guidelines on Exercise Released

Well, these guidelines might not appear totally new but they officially supersede the 1998 American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on exercise.

In the July 2011 Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org ), the new Position Stand has been released to help health professionals provide exercise guidelines to individuals.

Basically, here is what's recommended:

• at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week (at least 30 mins, 5x/week)


• of those 150 minutes, 75 minutes should be intense


• resistance exercises (strength-training) 2-3 times per week


• flexibility exercises (stretching) 2 or more days per week


• if these guidelines cannot be reached, a lesser amount of exercise can also be beneficial

The Position Stand is a 26-page document so I decided to post a summary news article on the topic instead: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-heb-exercise-guidelines-20110628,0,7367747.story

Talk to a health professional to get an exercise prescription that works for you.

Wacky Diets

Have you heard of these diets?

The Baby Food Diet

The Twinkie Diet

The Twitter Diet

Click here for a brief news clip about these 3 fad diets: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/food_food&id=8216089

Here's the deal, people. There is no fad diet that is a magical cure-all for weight reduction or weight maintenance. The Baby Food diet does not make sense and will be really, really boring after half of a day. The Twinkie or Hostess diet...well, that's just wrong. Those types of foods, while delicious (or in my mom's opinion, "repulsive!" - she only likes home-cooked baked goods), lack nutrients for a healthy intake. And really, you won't want to eat a cupcake or Twinkie every meal...even if it sounds kind of fun right now. The Twitter diet? It's not a really a diet but a way to post your intake and keep yourself accountable in an online social community.

The Real Deal here?
Diets don't work! Healthy eating and regular exercise do!

Bistro Now Open!

Today I had lunch at the Bistro, which is located in the Village Community of North Campus in the Strand.

The Bistro has a full sushi menu in addition to a great array of appetizers, entrees and desserts. My lunch today was the Tri Tip Salad (pictured at right.) The tri tip in this salad is usually served medium rare but I asked for medium well so the picture to the right is not necessarily reflective of how you might order it.

I really enjoyed the fresh veggies in this salad and the light soy ginger dressing. It was delicious!

The Bistro is open this summer Mon-Fri for lunch (11a-3p) from June 27th until August 26th.

Eat Fish for a Healthy Heart

When I was a kid, people use to say that fish was "brain food," which meant that it made you smarter. I don't that think I ate a piece of fish until I was nearly 20 years old...so I hope that the brain food thing isn't true!

There has been plenty of research regarding fish, its omega-3 fatty acids, and heart health. There is some good evidence that eating baked and broiled fish is good for your heart health while fried fish is not (not too surprising, is it?) Here is an article that talks a bit about the benefits of baked and broiled fish:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/24/baked.broiled.fish.heart/index.html

You will find many baked and broiled fish options in Dining Services this summer. Some examples of these dishes include: Mahi Mahi Veracruz, Tuscan Tuna Melt, and Herb Crusted Tilapia.

Happy eating!

Follow Up on the Dirty Dozen Pesticide Issue

There has been so much in the news lately about pesticide exposure - this hot topic has picked up press lately because of the release of the Dirty Dozen, the list of fruits and vegetables that had the highest levels of pesticide residue in one study. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Public Health experts are battling back a bit by saying that the pesticide residue levels were still within safe limits and that data are lacking to show that pesticide exposure from fruits and vegetables is linked to any medical problem. http://latimes.com/health/ct-x-0622-health-pesticide-20110622,0,6385683.story The group that published the Dirty Dozen information says that the levels of pesticide residue are below established limits but that doesn't make them safe.

What is my take on the situation?

• Wash all your produce vigorously - if it makes you feel better, peel the fruit that is high on the list of the Dirty Dozen (apples, for example)


• Do NOT use the Dirty Dozen list as an excuse to eat fewer fruits and veggies - that is ridiculous! The vast majority of us do not eat enough fruit or vegetable and we need to make them a high priority in our diets.


• If pesticides freak you out, purchase organic fruits and vegetables.


• Look at the big picture: if you have the choice between a conventionally grown fruit and a candy bar, which do you think is the better choice? (please tell me that you know that it's the fruit!)

What Time of Day Should I Stop Eating?

"What time of the day/night should I stop eating?" I get asked this question frequently, particularly by people who wish to reduce their body weight.

I often begin the discussion about meal timing by saying that there is no magic hour at which you must stop eating. Consuming a meal at night does not make you overweight. It is more important to assess what you are eating at night and how you have eaten throughout the day to more accurately determine what, how much and when you should have a meal and/or snack in the evening hours. Many of the college students with whom I work regularly tend to eat junk foods (sweets, french fries, chips) at night and they tend to eat for reasons other than hunger when they are up late (procrastination from studying, alcohol-fueled cravings, etc.) So, those kinds of eating habits could lead to weight gain.

However, many of us need to eat in the evenings and for some that may mean a 6:00pm dinner and for others, it means a 9:00pm dinner. Either one can work very well for the individual - it depends on other factors such as your daytime eating habits, your exercise habits, and evening food choices.

Check out this article on the topic of eating at night: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2011/06/10/what-time-should-stop-eating/

Legume Love

I am a big fan of legumes - they are nutrient powerhouses, vegetarian sources of protein, fiber-rich and affordable.

Check out this article from Mayo Clinic on many different types of legumes and their uses:

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/legumes/NU00260.html

And visit Dining Services locations this summer - we serve lots of legumes!