If 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise is recommended by most health professionals (5x/wk), is doing 60 minutes twice as healthful? An article in the New York Times, April 23, 2013 issue addresses just that topic. In a study published in October, 2011, 416,175 subjects who exercised moderately, for about 15 minutes a day, reduced their risk of dying prematurely by about 14%, the equivalent of about 3 additional years of life. Those whose workouts were twice as long (30 min/day) saw an additional drop of only 4%. Unless you’re training for the Ironman or other elite endeavors, is it really worth it? I’ve long been an advocate of high intensity-short burst training, to get both cardio, fat loss, and improved longevity. My workouts are typically 15-25 minutes in duration. I’ve lost 33 pounds, and feel better than I have in years, despite my ankylosing spondylitis. You make the call.
Most Americans get enough of vitamin B12 (found only in animal products), but as you get older, assimilation wanes due to the fact that: 1) The enzyme responsible for breaking down B12 for use declines, 2) GI surgery, 3) digestive disorders, or 4) dietary habits. Eat these foods for B12: Milk. Swiss and cottage cheese, plain yogurt, chicken ground beef or turkey (grass-fed), tuna, and eggs. B12 may also have positive effects on cognition and depression, and helps to lower homocysteine levels ( a marker for inflammation in the body).
Higher walnut consumption is linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to data from the Nurses’ Health Study which followed more than 137,00 women, ages 35-77 for 10 years. Women who had consumed walnuts regularly (one to three times/month), showed a decrease in type 2 diabetes compared to those who never or rarely ate them.
Speaking of diabetes type 2, people who eat avocados regularly are likely to have a smaller waist, better cholesterol readings, and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. I love avocados, and for years I heard that they were too high in fat. So it goes….
Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.