Low Calorie Diet May Lengthen Your Life

Eating less can help you lose or maintain your weight, but it looks like it can also add years to your life. Well, at least that’s the case for monkeys. A 20-year long study on Rhesus monkeys found that those who cut their calorie intake by 30 percent slowed down signs and diseases of aging, and lived longer than monkeys who ate more. The dieting monkeys had less cancerous tumors, heart disease, and less brain shrinkage. They also looked younger than the non-dieting monkeys. Scientists have known that eating less over time has lengthened the life of more primitive creatures such as worms, flies, and mice. Now this news of larger mammals benefiting from a low calorie diet is inspiring the question - What about humans? Could calorie restriction help us prevent disease and lengthen our lives? Scientists aren’t sure yet but the evidence seems convincing. If it turned out to be true, do you think you could live on 30 percent less calories a day for the rest of your life?

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Low Calorie Diet May Lengthen Your Life

Sunscreen Review: Badger 30 SPF

After reading the Environmental Working Group ’s sunscreen list, I decided to try a chemical free sunscreen and opt for mineral sunblock protection. I picked up a tube of Badger 30 SPF ($16) for face and body, which ranked really well on EWG list as being an effective sunscreen without creating health hazards with repeated use. Learn what I think of Badger sunblock.

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Sunscreen Review: Badger 30 SPF

Go Ahead and Swear: The New Pain Management

I think most of us have a go-to swear word. The term you mutter, shout, or scream when you stub your toe in the middle of the night. It turns out that swearing might be a viable form of pain relief. In a British study that seems like a hybrid of interrogation techniques and slumber party antics, college students were asked to immerse a hand into cold water. They were timed to see how long they could endure the freezing water. To help focus mentally, the students were allowed to chant either a neutral mantra or repeat a swear word over and over again. When cursing, the students were on average able to endure the pain of the cold water for 40 seconds longer and said they felt less pain. To learn why, just read more. The connection between expletives and pain relief is not really clear, but a deep and primal part of the brain is activated when swearing, which is not usually activated when speaking. This area of the brain is related to the flight-or-fight response to stress and when activated it increases the heart rate, which makes us less sensitive to pain. Richard Keele the psychologist that led the study said, “Swearing is such a common response to pain that there has to be an underlying reason why we do it. I would advise people, if they hurt themselves, to swear.” Like most things in life, moderation is key for a string of expletives to work as pain management. The more you swear the less potent the pain relief. Do weigh in on your relationship with swearing over on TrèsSugar .

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Go Ahead and Swear: The New Pain Management

Go Kayaking to Strengthen Core and Upper Body

If you’re too hot to run, bike, or hike outside, but you still want to enjoy the Summer weather, exercising on water is a great way to beat the heat. Kayaking is one of my favorite water sports because it’s safe to do alone, or if you prefer some company, you can kayak with a group of people. The paddling action will effectively tone your arms, back, and abs. Sitting upright will also increase flexibility in your hamstrings and improve your posture. It’s a great complement if you’re a runner or biker, since most of the work is done by your upper body and back. You can paddle hard to burn calories and work your muscles, and if you get tired, you can slow down or take a break and just let the current float you along. The best part is that if you get hot, you can jump in the water for instant refreshment. To find out how to get started read more. Rent a kayak at a nearby lake, river, or bay, and it’ll cost between $20 and $40, depending on how long you want to stay out and what type of kayak you rent. I recommend taking a lesson or class to learn how to paddle efficiently, and to also get tips on how to get in and out of your kayak while in the water. Go when it’s not windy, so the water will be less choppy. Wear waterproof sunscreen and a hat to protect your skin. If you love kayaking, consider buying one. Ones made out of plastic will be less expensive than fiberglass kayaks, but they’ll also be heavier and harder to repair if it gets damaged by rocks. If you want one that’s even lighter, they make kayaks out of kevlar, graphite, or carbon fiber. One of these kayaks will cost between $400 and $2,000, and that’s not including the paddle. If that’s too steep, many gear shops will sell used kayaks for much cheaper.

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Go Kayaking to Strengthen Core and Upper Body

[E Get Fit ] Use Mindless Snacking to Lose Weight

From Diet Blog Share: We all love to snack. It is one of those pleasures in life that would be really hard to give up. Dieters need to give up a certain amount of calories per day. How can snacking help them? “Mindless Eating” by Dr. Brian Wansink documents how we eat without thinking about it. Basically, if there is food in front of us, it takes a incredibly strong will not to eat it. And you can use this fact of human behavior to help you eat healthily. Just make sure that the healthy thing is the food in front of you instead of the potato chips. Crunchy things such as colorful fruits and vegetables can substitute for your potato chip craving. Buy your favorite fruits and vegetables, cut them up and keep them on the top two shelves of your refrigerator. When you feel the desire to munch, go ahead and pile up a plate of these treats. There are 3 benefits to snacking in this way: 1. You end up with a low calorie snack (a cup of celery for example is 20 calories). 2. The fresh food that you eat actually contains nutrients that your body needs to function, compared to a diet cookie with no nutritional value. So, you are doing so much better for your overall health. 3. You fill up and feel less hungry through the day, so there is less of a chance of binge eating.

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[E Get Fit ] Use Mindless Snacking to Lose Weight

7 Simple Ways to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain

Do you spend the weekend unwinding a little too much, only to find come Monday morning the needle on your weighing scales isn’t quite as favourable as you’d hoped? According to researchers our eating habits change quite dramatically at weekends, particularly as we reach for more alcoholic beverages and calorie-dense foods. If this is the case for you it can certainly be very easy to gain weight over time. Continue reading…

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7 Simple Ways to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain