That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com/media/feedlogo.gif That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Put 'em in coach: The kid wants to playhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/08/27/put-em-in-coach-the-kid-wants-to-play/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/08/27/put-em-in-coach-the-kid-wants-to-play/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/08/27/put-em-in-coach-the-kid-wants-to-play/#commentsFiled under:

Your TV screen might offer a home-field advantage when it comes to enjoying the big game, but did you know that most kids would rather play sports than watch them on television? That's what 80 percent of children ages 6 to 18 said in a recent survey.

The lesson: Be sure to make outdoor time readily available for young sports fans and/or offer them a chance to join a team or league. Other results from the survey revealed these interesting athletic nuggets:

  • Among 6- to 9-year olds, 43 percent said they play their sport "because they love it," versus 32 percent of the 13- to 18-year olds.
  • Ten percent of 13- to 18-year-old girls quit playing sports after being told they weren't good enough by a coach.
  • Girls attend practice in greater number than boys.
  • Nearly 50 percent of the kids said their parents urge them to play a team sport.

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]]>athleticschildrenhealthy kidsHealthyKidssportsTanya RynoWed, 27 Aug 2008 23:00:00 ESTHow healthy is your family treehttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/10/how-healthy-is-your-family-tree/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/10/how-healthy-is-your-family-tree/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/10/how-healthy-is-your-family-tree/#commentsFiled under: ,

You recognize your family traits -- you have your mother's nose and your brother has your father's eyes -- but what about the health problems? Did you inherit any of those? According to the U.S. Surgeon General, your family health history is a powerful screening tool and now there's a new web program to make it easy for anyone to create a sophisticated family-health portrait. Users can keep updated information to share with the family doctor and the information that you provide creates a drawing of your family tree and a chart of your family health history. Both the chart and the drawing can be printed and shared with your family members or your health-care professional. Access it at familyhistory.hhs.gov/

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]]>family-traitsfamily-treehealth-historyhealthy-agingTanya RynoThu, 10 Apr 2008 14:00:00 ESTThree heart healthy tests for womenhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/three-heart-healthy-tests-for-women/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/three-heart-healthy-tests-for-women/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/three-heart-healthy-tests-for-women/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Women are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. That's why it's even more important today to prevent one of the leading causes of death among women: heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65.

While most of the risk factors, signs and symptoms are the same in women as they are in men, there are unique aspects to women's heart health that are different, so it's important to get tested. And though many tests measure cardiac health, some are better at detecting disease in women.

According to MORE magazine, these are the tests that you should be asking for and why:

  • Stress echocardiogram -- A stress echocardiogram uses ultrasound to show the heart's motion at rest and at peak exercise and is more accurate for women than conventionsl stress testing, which can lead to false positives in women.

Continue reading Three heart healthy tests for women

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]]>cardiovascularcardiovascular-diseaseechocardiogramheart-diseaseheart-healthrisk-factorsstressstress-tessTanya RynoWed, 09 Apr 2008 23:06:00 ESTAn interesting look at doing good for othershttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/an-interesting-look-at-doing-good-for-others/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/an-interesting-look-at-doing-good-for-others/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/04/09/an-interesting-look-at-doing-good-for-others/#commentsFiled under: ,

Last week, both my children came home from school with a flier asking them to participate in a fundraiser. To help the Ronald McDonald House, they were asked to collect aluminum pull-tab rings found on soda pop cans. However, in our house we don't drink soda (I quit years ago) ... so even though it was a worthwhile cause, I told them that this was one fundraiser we wouldn't be able to participate in.

Yesterday (seven days later) any child who collected any tabs was asked to turn them in. Can I just tell you that just about every child brought in tabs and not just one or two ... they brought in ziplock bags filled to the brim. All I could think about while looking at each child was "Is that how much soda you drank last week?"

Ironically, it seems that to complete this 'do good' task, children felt inclined to drink a lot of soda. Or, who knows, possibly this is how much soda they consume regularly. Either way, someone was consuming it ... I guess even with all the facts, people aren't quite ready to stay away from sugar (or sugar substitutes).

How much do you know about sugar? Take this quiz.

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]]>Tanya RynoWed, 09 Apr 2008 15:30:00 ESTCould your body posture be linked to your blood pressurehttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/25/could-your-body-posture-be-linked-to-your-blood-pressure/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/25/could-your-body-posture-be-linked-to-your-blood-pressure/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/25/could-your-body-posture-be-linked-to-your-blood-pressure/#commentsFiled under: ,

Scientists in Britain think so. According to them, the position in which you hold your body plays a major role in maintaining your blood pressure.

New Scientist magazine reports that the studies suggest that good posture could help keep blood pressure levels normal while bad posture could increase it.

Posture is the position in which a body is held upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. And good posture involves training a body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and spine during movement or weight-bearing activities.

Scientists had earlier suspected the link between the muscles in the neck, blood pressure and heart rate. Now, they have found a direct connection between these neck muscles and a part of the brain stem, which plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure. Researchers also claim that their findings could explain why blood pressure and heart rate sometimes change when the neck muscles are injured.

Similarly, it is possible that hours spent hunched over a computer may raise blood pressure.

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]]>bad postureBadPostureblood pressureBloodPressurehealthheart rateHeartRatepostureTanya RynoMon, 25 Feb 2008 18:00:00 ESTLabel lingo for a few new green iconshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/22/label-lingo-for-a-few-new-green-icons/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/22/label-lingo-for-a-few-new-green-icons/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/22/label-lingo-for-a-few-new-green-icons/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of decades, I'm sure you're aware that pollution and global warming are ever-increasing problems in our society. And, recently, there has been a major boom in the production and purchase of "organic" products, everything from food, to fabric -- even beauty products are jumping on the bandwagon, but what do these new labels mean?

If you are anything like me, you can easily become confused by all the verbage and symbols that are posted on products. It's almost as if you need a degree in Label Reading to be able to properly determine what you are eating or putting on your face. So, to help you decipher a few of them, here's what I found out about some of the new icons popping up everywhere:

Gallery: Label lingo for a few new green icons

ECOCERTGreen-eSoil AssociationUSDA OrganicFSC



Continue reading Label lingo for a few new green icons

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]]>Tanya RynoFri, 22 Feb 2008 10:00:00 ESTHeart to heart: Study your historyhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/heart-to-heart-study-your-history/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/heart-to-heart-study-your-history/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/heart-to-heart-study-your-history/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Your medical history, that is. If you (or your spouse) has a strong family history of cardiovascular disease, you (or your spouse), too, could be at risk, and you could be passing that risk on to your kids. Therefore, it's important to make your internist and your pediatrician aware of any incidence of heart disease in primary relatives -- parents, siblings, and grandparents.

Your family doctor probably has taken a detailed medical history, but your child's doctor might not have. So don't hesitate to bring up the subject with your pediatrician at the earliest possible opportunity.

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]]>cardiovascular diseaseCardiovascularDiseasefamily historyFamilyHistoryhealthy hearthealthy kidsHealthyHeartHealthyKidsTanya RynoThu, 21 Feb 2008 17:30:00 ESTFood that can ease the pain of arthritishttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/food-that-can-ease-the-pain-of-arthritis/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/food-that-can-ease-the-pain-of-arthritis/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/21/food-that-can-ease-the-pain-of-arthritis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Did you know almost one in every six Americans is afflicted with arthritis?

According to Wikipedia, arthritis is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body and arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. There are many different forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection and gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation.

Because arthritis is a disease of inflammation, the most effective - and logical - treatment is anything that fights inflammation. The problem is that many people (who suffer from arthritis) don't realize how much nutrition can improve the way they feel, but by eating plenty of the right foods you'll automatically reduce the level of inflammation in your body and relieve some of the stiffness.

Gallery: Foods that can ease the pain of arthritis

Omega-3 Fatty AcidsOlive OilAntioxidantsVitamin DSpices

Continue reading Food that can ease the pain of arthritis

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]]>arthritishealthy livingHealthyLivinginflammationnutritionTanya RynoThu, 21 Feb 2008 14:00:00 ESTBring yourself to deal with irrational fears about issues that aren't going awayhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/bring-yourself-to-deal-with-irrational-fears-about-issues-that-a/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/bring-yourself-to-deal-with-irrational-fears-about-issues-that-a/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/bring-yourself-to-deal-with-irrational-fears-about-issues-that-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

All too often, you worry about work, your love life, your bills, taxes -- all issues that you know aren't going to go away. So, to turn around those irrational fears, you need to reprogram the way you react to the triggers that bring on your unwanted anxiety.

First: Make a plan. What helps me is to write down how I feel about certain triggers, why I react the way I do, and how I'd like to react instead. By breaking down my fears it helps me discover why they scared me in the first place.

The next step is to reprogram: When you're faced with a fearful situation, you freeze (like I do) because you've programmed yourself to freeze. Instead, concentrate on your breathing and try to visualize a place you associate with calm and serenity -- the beach, the mountains, or your hometown.

Lastly: Practice and improve. Once you recognize the onset of your irrational fears, you'll eventually reprogram yourself to react more pro-actively and that should reduce your stress.

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]]>anxietymental healthMentalHealthstress reductionStressReductionworryTanya RynoWed, 06 Feb 2008 23:30:00 ESTA scientific breakthrough could mean humans live for hundreds of yearshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/a-scientific-breakthrough-could-mean-humans-live-for-hundreds-of/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/a-scientific-breakthrough-could-mean-humans-live-for-hundreds-of/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/a-scientific-breakthrough-could-mean-humans-live-for-hundreds-of/#commentsFiled under: ,

With a whole lot of help from science, humans may some day live for centuries, according to Michael Rose, PhD, author of The Long Tomorrow: How Advances in Evolutionary Biology Can Help Us Postpone Aging.

Currently, the adult body deteriorates rapidly until about age 90, at which point, surprisingly, the decline plateaus. That plateau is what intrigues Rose and his peers. They hope to find a way to hit that plateau at an earlier age, which would allow people to live long enough to know their great-great-grandkids' great-great-grandkids, and then some.

As amazing as that seems, Rose expects that we could, in a few centuries, achieve plateaus that correspond to the mortality levels and health of a present-day 30- to 40-year old. That would mean an average life expectancy of 500 to 800 years.


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]]>agingEvolutionary BiologyEvolutionaryBiologyhealthliving foreverLivingForeversciencescientific breakthroughScientificBreakthroughTanya RynoWed, 06 Feb 2008 23:00:00 ESTMen: When was your last doctor's appointment?http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/men-when-was-your-last-doctors-appointment/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/men-when-was-your-last-doctors-appointment/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/men-when-was-your-last-doctors-appointment/#commentsFiled under:

If you're like most men, you're sucking it up each time you're sick and not going to the doctor, reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This feeling of invisibility is what medical experts call the Superman Syndrome, and ironically there's nothing super about it.

It's important for men in their upper teens, 20s, and 30s to be examined regularly, so stop avoiding the doctor. Did you know that testicular cancer is at its highest incidence in these groups? By getting a regular check up, your doctor will not only check for testicular cancer, but he or she will also screen for quiet symptoms of other diseases. They may even be able to help you kick bad habits and give you tips on losing weight.

So the next time you feel like being Superman, try being Clark Kent instead.

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]]>Check-upDoctor's appointmentDoctor'sAppointmentMen's HealthMen'sHealthSuperman SyndromeSupermanSyndromeTanya RynoWed, 06 Feb 2008 13:00:00 ESTIn sight, in mouthhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/in-sight-in-mouth/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/in-sight-in-mouth/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/in-sight-in-mouth/#commentsFiled under: ,

A Cornell University study has found that people eat more than twice as much candy when it's in a clear container compared to when it's in opaque containers, and even more when the containers are within reaching distance instead of a few steps away.

With that in mind, I thought this might work for fruits and vegetables. In other words, I thought that what makes the close and open candy dish nutritionally dangerous might just bring the fruit bowl back in vogue.

It stands to reason that you will eat more fruits and vegetables in an open and close container for the same reasons you were eating more candy.

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]]>candy dishCandyDishfruitfruit bowlFruitBowlhealthy habitsHealthyHabitsnutritionTanya RynoWed, 06 Feb 2008 12:00:00 ESTFast food seems to be getting fasterhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/fast-food-seems-to-be-getting-faster/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/fast-food-seems-to-be-getting-faster/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/06/fast-food-seems-to-be-getting-faster/#commentsFiled under: ,

As if fast-food restaurants weren't convenient enough, RoboServer Systems Corp. has unveiled a mechanical self-serve machine called the Line Buster. Similar to an ATM, customers select their order, pay for it, and pick it up at the counter.

Aside from the predictable employment threat, what will these machines do to a nation that's already on the brink of an obesity epidemic? In my opinion, the Line Buster is only going to make the fast-food industry more efficient in getting this crap out to people.

On the bright side, if you're indulging on a cheat day, you are the only one to blame if your order gets messed up.

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]]>bad nutritionBadNutritionFast Foodfast-foodFastFoodnutritionTanya RynoWed, 06 Feb 2008 11:00:00 ESTCloudy apple juice has clear benefitshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/cloudy-apple-juice-has-clear-benefits/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/cloudy-apple-juice-has-clear-benefits/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/cloudy-apple-juice-has-clear-benefits/#commentsFiled under: ,

The next time you sit down to eat a big juicy hamburger, instead of pouring yourself a glass of soda or a milkshake, consider reaching for a glass of apple juice. Certain substances in apple juice help reduce the level of the so-called "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and may protect against heart disease.

Even better, drink cloudy apple juice, often labeled 'natural.' it contains as much as four times the polyphenols as the clear types. These antioxidant chemicals in apple pulp are also believed to reduce your risk of cancer.

Apples have always played a role in a healthy diet. For decades, if not hundreds of years, we've been told to eat an apple a day to maintain our health.

Lucky for us: We now know that the healthy components are not just in apples, but they are in the juice as well (the cloudy juice anyway) ... and that's something we can all drink to.

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]]>apple juiceAppleJuicecloudy apple juiceCloudyAppleJuicedietnutritionpolyphenolsTanya RynoSat, 19 Jan 2008 23:45:00 ESTSea Salt vs. Table Salthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/sea-salt-vs-table-salt/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/sea-salt-vs-table-salt/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/19/sea-salt-vs-table-salt/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value and chemical composition. The only difference -- taste and texture -- come from the salt's refining process. Refined salt (table salt) consists of uniform crystals and may contain added iodine and an anti-caking agent, which research suggests is harmless. Sea salt is less refined and composed of larger crystals that contain trace amounts of naturally occurring minerals, giving it a slightly different taste and coarse texture.

Regardless of your preference, odds are you're using too much. Try to limit your intake to 2,300 mg per day.

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]]>diethigh blood pressureHighBloodPressurenutritionsaltsea saltSeaSalttable saltTableSaltTanya RynoSat, 19 Jan 2008 23:00:00 ESTHoly Sugar Shock! Mars partners with Dunkin Donutshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/18/holy-sugar-shock-mars-partners-with-dunkin-donuts/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/18/holy-sugar-shock-mars-partners-with-dunkin-donuts/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/18/holy-sugar-shock-mars-partners-with-dunkin-donuts/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yes, Mars has partnered with Dunkin' Donuts to create the M&M's Donut (candy on top of a frosted donut) and the Milky Way Hot Chocolate. And, true to its name, the rich drink tastes a lot like someone melted a couple of Milky Ways in a cup -- with plenty of vanilla nougat, caramel and milk chocolate notes swimming around in there.

Way, way, way too sweet for me, but my friend (who ordered the drink) loved it. So if you like the candy bar and hot chocolate, this may be the drink of your dreams. My thought though, is that it's actually a nightmare: If you order one of these crazy drinks (size medium) you will be consuming 280 calories, 9 grams of fat , 52 grams of carbs total and 41 grams of sugar!

I don't even want to comment on the candy coated frosted donut as I really can't comprehend why anyone would eat this ever.

That said, and clearly knowing that there is in fact, a market for this type of food. You might want to read 'The appalling truth about doughnuts' posted by Fitz before indulging in something that has Homer Simpson written all over it.

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]]>Candy Coated DonutsCandyCoatedDonutsDietDunkin DonutsDunkinDonutsMarsNutritionTanya RynoFri, 18 Jan 2008 16:00:00 ESTSmoking does not make you thinnerhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/smoking-does-not-make-you-thinner/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/smoking-does-not-make-you-thinner/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/smoking-does-not-make-you-thinner/#commentsFiled under:

A new Australian study debunking the myth that cigarettes keep weight down is a further warning about the dangers of smoking. The study, by a research team from the University of New South Wales and the University of Melbourne, found people do not shed fat simply because they smoked.

The research found smokers lost muscle mass, which gave them the appearance of being thinner, but the fat instead was stored around their vital organs. (See photo of fat filled liver.)

Similarly, mice were studied over seven weeks, with half exposed to smoke from four cigarettes a day for six days a week while the other half smoke free. Mice on the smoke diet ate about 23 percent less food, but their fat mass kept to the same levels as those not exposed to the smoke.

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]]>dangers ofDangersOfsmokingTanya RynoWed, 16 Jan 2008 22:45:00 ESTKissing is safer than shaking hands when avoiding an illnesshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/kissing-is-safer-than-shaking-hands-when-avoiding-an-illness/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/kissing-is-safer-than-shaking-hands-when-avoiding-an-illness/http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/01/16/kissing-is-safer-than-shaking-hands-when-avoiding-an-illness/#commentsFiled under:

We've all heard people say 'I won't kiss you, I've got a cold'. But a report recently published warns that we may be far more at risk of passing on an infection by shaking someones hand than in sharing a kiss.

A group of hygiene experts said that, if we want to avoid catching the flu or tummy bugs, or protect ourselves and others from organisms such as MRSA, salmonella or C. difficile, then we have to start in our own homes, by paying greater attention to good hand hygiene.

They also warn that, in the event of a flu pandemic, good hand hygiene will be the first line of defense during the early critical period before mass vaccination becomes available.

Good hygiene at home prevents organisms from spreading from one family member to another. And reducing the number of carriers in the community which reduces the likelihood of infections being carried into health care facilities by new patients and visitors.

Continue reading Kissing is safer than shaking hands when avoiding an illness

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]]>kissingMRSApersonal hygienePersonalHygieneshaking handsShakingHandsspreading germsSpreadingGermswashing handsWashingHandsTanya RynoWed, 16 Jan 2008 22:30:00 ESTDon't let your New Year's resolution cost youhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/dont-let-your-new-years-resolution-cost-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/dont-let-your-new-years-resolution-cost-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/dont-let-your-new-years-resolution-cost-you/#commentsFiled under:

A resolution like 'getting in shape' can easily lead to overspending. Some of the most common credit card purchases in January and February are workout clothes, gym memberships, exercise DVDs, diet pills and more -- many of which are left unused by the end of the year.

This year, look for low-cost ways (like these) to meet your new goals:
  • Use the gym at a community center on a cost-per-visit basis (some are even free).
  • Stick with a plain t-shirt and pair of sweats, they are just as effective as fancy workout clothes.
  • Borrow exercise videos from the library, or rent them through Netflix (I'm always amazed at how many people don't realize you can take out DVDs, for free, from the library).
  • Buy used exercise equipment and develop a weight-training routine that you can do at home.
  • As far as the diet pills go, just don't waist your money.

Your wallet, and you waistline, will thank you!

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]]>fitness tipFitnessTipNew Year's resolutionNewYear'sResolutionresolutionssaving moneySavingMoneyTanya RynoSun, 30 Dec 2007 16:00:00 ESTA stick-to-it trick for your New Year's resolutionhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/a-stick-to-it-trick-for-your-new-years-resolution/http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/a-stick-to-it-trick-for-your-new-years-resolution/http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/12/30/a-stick-to-it-trick-for-your-new-years-resolution/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Keep your resolution front of mind by writing it down and sticking it to your mirror, fridge or even in your car. Then, add a list of related mini goals to spur your motivation.

If your goal is to lose weight, for example, then your mini goals might be:
  • When stressed, eat an apple instead of a doughnut.
  • For every hour of tv watching, walk at least 15 minutes.

Each time you complete a mini goal, place a fun gold star next to it! While simple in concept, it works. It makes you feel capable, builds enthusiasm and helps prevent you from losing hope.

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]]>New Year's resolutionNewYear'sResolutionresolutionstipstricksTanya RynoSun, 30 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST