Thursday, August 16, 2012

Fruits, Veggies, Beans and Water


A lot of us forget to drink enough water, stay hydrated, especially during hot summer months.

Probably nowhere is this more important than with athletes who perform in weight-making sports.

Rehydrating after long, strenuous workouts is vital. It's also necessary for good health.  Deydration affects many vital organs from the brain to the kidneys to the muscles, not to mention the all-important circulating blood volume.

Relying on thirst to keep you chugging away those pints of water won't do it. The thirst mechhanism in your body is a notorious unreliable indicator. It actually turns off well before one is completely rehydrated. Besides, forcing down much of that water gets boring.

So here's a tip.  Ramp up your intake of "solid water" sources, fruits and vegtables and beans. That's right, fruits and veggies contain lots of water. Yes, beans! They have a surpringly high water content.

These sources of water also have high fiber content which aids in losing weight and giving you that full feeling.




Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Choice Versus Chance


Oliver Wendell Holmes pointed out that life is about choice not chance.

Most people mistakenly believe that they eat with their mouths. True, that's where the food goes into, that big round opening on the front of their faces.

But they really eat with their minds. The decision what to eat is made there, in the mind, long before any food passes their lips. It's called choices, hotdogs and soda versus vegetables and fresh fruits; steamed versus deep fried; natural versus processed.

So the next time you feel hungry, take a chance and make a better choice. Twenty years from now your body might thank you.
rle